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M, % 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 

COPYRIGHT OFFICE. 

No registration of title of this book 
as a preliminary to copyright protec- 
tion has been found. 

SEP 7 1905 



Forwarded to Order Division 



(Date) 



(Apr. 5, 1901—5,000. 



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Copyright^ 



COFTO1CHT DEPOSIT. 



HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 



{ 



HEALTH 



IN THE 



HOUSEHOLD; 



OK, 



HYGIENIC COOKERY. 



BY 



SUSANNA W. DODDS, A.M.,M.D 

V 



'No spice but hunger; no stimulant but exercise." 

FELIX L. OSWALD, M.D. 



SIXTH EDITION. 
ST. LOUIS: 

S. W. & M. DODDS, PUBLISHERS, 

4518 Washington Boul,. 

1901. 






COPYRIGHT, 1883, BY 

FOWLER & WELLS 



f 



TO ALL 
WHO LOVE GOOD HEALTH 

AS WELL AS 

GOOD EATING, 
tphis Volume 

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 



PREFACE 



The object of this work is to enable health-seekers to 
furnish their tables with food that is wholesome, and at the 
same time palatable. The writer claims that the food prod- 
ucts of the earth, properly grown and prepared, should be 
not only healthful, but to the unperverted palate, relishable, 
in the highest degree. 

Foods, as ordinarily cooked, are robbed of their own 
luscious flavors and rich juices by all manner of wasteful or 
injudicious processes ; by soaking, by parboiling, by evap- 
oration, by under-cooking, and by burning ; after which 
one tries in vain to compensate for these defects, by adding 
butter, pepper, sugar, salt, and other seasonings, ad infini- 
tum. Nature is prodigal of her fine flavors, furnishing 
them in infinite variety and choice abundance ; and all we 
have to do is to produce them from the soil by proper cult- 
ure, and save them with frugal care. How to grow the 
best grains, fruits and vegetables, belongs not to the art of 
cookery, but to the department of agriculture and horti- 
culture. How to prepare these products for the table, get- 
ting all the good there is in them, and adding nothing 
harmful thereto, is the thing sought after in the following 
pages. 

It has often been urged against cook-books, that the very 
items one needs most to know, are not in them ; the quan- 
tities, proportions, etc., together with the smaller details, 
being usually left out. In the present volume the author 

(vii) 



Vlll PREFACE. 

has endeavored, even at the expense of brevity, to avoid 
falling into a like error. The recipes claim to be sufficiently 
explicit, and as far as is possible, accurate. Some of them 
are wholly original, others are not ; many valuable hints 
have been derived from books already published on hygienic 
cooking. In preparing Part II. the following works have 
been consulted freely, and in some instances quoted verba- 
tim; viz.: The Hygeian Home Cook-Book, by the late It. 
T. Trail, M.D.; the Health Reformer's Cook-Book, Battle 
Creek, Mich.; and How to Prepare Food, by Mrs. Lucretia 
E. Jackson, Dansville, N. Y. 

For the benefit of those who are beginning to try hygienic 
cookery, but whose families and friends are not thoroughly 
converted to the system, Part III. has been written, with 
directions for preparing foods, not strictly in the hygienic 
way, but in such a manner as to render them relatively 
plain and healthful. An urgent call having been made for 
a work of this kind, the suggestion has been acted upon to 
bind it and the hygienic cook-book in the same volume. 

In the preparation of Part HE. the author is greatly in- 
debted to several writers, among whom are Catharine 
Beecher, Marion Harland, Emma P. Ewing, and the author 
or compiler of the Buckeye Cookery. 

S. W. Dodds. 

St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 21, 1888. 



PREFACE TO THE SIXTH EDITION. 



In the several editions of Health in the Household 
that have been published, very few alterations were made 
in the text, except that in the last one issued the recipes 
for soups were so changed that these could be made with- 
out meat, a little cream taking the place of it. 

In the present edition, the principal change is in the 
table and recipes for grains, a longer time being allowed 
for cooking them ; this not only renders them more di- 
gestible, but improves their flavor. 

A new index has also been prepared, which is more 
convenient than the old one. 

S. W. Dodds. 

St. Louis, Mo., Dec. 1, 1900. 



(ix) 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

THE REASON WHY. Page. 

Constituents of food, . . ■ • • • " 

Tables (from Pavy), U 

Pood and physical development, 1 ^ 

Wheat and other cereals, .20 

Wheaten vs. white flour, ....... 27 

The fruits ■ . . SB 

The vegetables, 38 

Meat as an article of diet, 42 

Pork-eating, 48 

Milk, 53 

Butter and eggs, 55 

Sugar, 57 

Salt, . 61 

Pepper and other condiments, ...... 71 

Drinking at meals, 72 

Tea, coffee, etc., 75 

Food, intellect and morals, 79 

" combinations, etc., 84 

Two meals or three, 92 

Dietetic rules, 93 

Hints on cooking, 95 

PART II. 

THE HYGIENIC DIETARY. 

Unleavened bread, 101 

Leavened and other bread, 119 

Plain fruit cakes, 142 



(xi) 



Xll CONTENTS. 

Steamed grains, - .145 

Mushes, . 151 

Pastries, 154 

Vegetables, iq§ 

Soups, . 197 

Fruits and fruit juices, . . , . . , . 197 

Drinks for the sick, 224 

Foods " " " 229 

" " infants, 232 

Preserving fruits and vegetables, 234 

Canning fruits, etc., JJ38 

Miscellany, 250 

PART III. 

THE COMPROMISE. 

Steamed bread, 260 

Corn cake, muffins, etc., 265 

Griddle-cakes . 271 

Cake-making 275 

Pies, etc., 288 

The grains, 301 

Mushes 302 

Puddings, 302 

" selection of, 305 

" other, 337 

Plain desserts, 353 

Pudding sauces, creams, etc., 360 

Custards, blanc-manges, etc., 368 

Moulded farinacea, 382 

Other dishes, 386 

Jellies, jams and syrups, 390 

Ripe fruits for desserts, 398 

Vegetables, . . . . 407 

Soups, 436 

Meats, etc., .449 

Beef, mutton and lamb, 453 

The " porker," . 470 



CONTENTS. Xiii 

Venison, 470 

Poultry, ... 4753 

Wild birds and other game, 488 

Fish, 497 

How about oysters ? 505 

Meat pies, etc., 506 

" stews, etc., 518 

Hashes and toasts, . . 530 

Eggs, .540 

Practical hints, 544 

Addendum, .;'.:.... . 580 



INTRODUCTORY, 



The question is often asked, "What is this hygienic 
diet ? " and it would be well for its advocates, if a correct 
answer were always given. This food differs so materially 
from that in common use, that persons who have simply 
heard of it, are apt to form erroneous ideas in regard to it. 
For example, if you state that a hygienic breakfast-table 
furnishes neither coffee nor tea, no beefsteak, butter, nor 
hot biscuits, you are met with the question, " What do they 
eat ? " And before you can begin to reply, the conclusion 
is reached that the table must be wof ully bare, and the food 
on it lacking in wholesome variety and good flavor (since 
there are no seasonings), and also in nutritive qualities. In 
other words, that it is a sort of starvation diet, which sensi- 
ble people would at once reject. 

Now, nothing could be farther from the truth than such 
an inference ; and patients at our table have often remarked 
that if people only understood the real character of the 
hygienic diet, they would think more favorably of it. In 
the first place, the hygienic table admits of as great a variety 
as any other ; and once the palate adapts itself to the change 
— which requires but a short time — the food is quite as 
keenly relished as that prepared in the ordinary way. In 
the next place, one does not tire of it ; even in warm spring 
mornings, when other people feel the need of a tonic to give 
them an appetite, the sound of the breakfast-bell in hygienic 
households is always welcome. The presence of natural 
hunger makes the food taste good, while at the same time it 
is the best possible aid to digestion. The fresh ripe fruits, 



2 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 

the crisp little rolls, twenty minutes from the oven, the well- 
cooked oatmeal, and the luscious stewed fruits — to say 
nothing of good baked potatoes, and other side dishes that 
find their way to the table — all are enjoyed with a zest that 
rarely belongs to steak, biscuit and coffee. 

But a more important point to the physiologist is, that 
the food eaten is far more healthful and nutritious than the 
aforesaid articles ; from the simple fact that it contains a 
much larger per cent, of those substances that are necessary 
to form bone, teeth, muscles, tendons, and the other tissues 
of the body. This is why one can work longer and with 
less fatigue on hygienic food than on any other ; it nourishes 
better. Were proof needed on this point, the tables in Part 
I., giving the constituents of food, ought to furnish it. 

Still another virtue belonging to this diet is, that it con- 
tains no stimulating or abnormal substances, to tax the vital 
powers in getting rid of them ; no salt, pepper, spices, or 
other irritating condiment ; everything is usable, in one way 
or another. Neither is there an excess of oily or saccharine 
matter, to clog the digestive or the excretory organs. But, 
to get at once to the root of the matter, we will take up the 
a, b, c, of the hygienic dietary ; resting assured that if our 
premises are correct, the conclusions will take care of them- 
selves. 

All persons who are thorough hygienists, according to the 
teachings of the late R T. Trail, M.D., believe that inorganic 
substances are incapable of nourishing or building up the 
vital structures of our bodies. To begin with first princi- 
ples, we hold that vegetable organisms are fed by inorganic 
substances, and by these alone ; that animal organisms are 
fed by organic substances^, and by these only. We also 
maintain that, other things being equal, the products of the 
vegetable kingdom are better suited to man's needs than 
are those of the animal kingdom ; and that out of the 
former, those products are best suited for foods which most 






INTRODUCTORY. 6 

nearly supply the waste of the various tissues. There are, 
no doubt, many varieties in the vegetable kingdom which 
can be and sometimes are used for foods, but which rank 
low in nutritive value, and are otherwise inferior in quality ; 
these, if eaten, are recommended only as occasional dishes. 

If we follow scientific analysis, we must place first in the 
rank of nutritious foods, the various preparations of wheat ; 
then the other grains, some of which are better adapted to 
our wants than others. Fruits, as a class of foods, are ranked 
higher than vegetables by hygienists, and some fruits higher 
than others ; while among the vegetables proper, there are 
certain kinds that are better suited for human food than 
others. 

The flesh of animals, as will hereafter be shown, does not 
begin to compare with the whole grains — or even with some 
vegetables — in the quantity of nutritive matter contained ; 
so that if used, it must fall below the latter in respect to 
nutrition. Besides, it carries with it a certain amount of 
substance that can not be utilized by the vital organs ; 
whence it follows that these organs must do extra work in 
expelling this substance from the vital domain. All animals, 
however healthy, are every moment of their lives throwing 
off a large per cent, of worn-out or effete matter ; many 
times larger than that which is expelled from the surfaces 
of fruits or vegetables. This matter is in every tissue, and 
in every drop of blood or other fluid in the tissues ; nor 
does the act of killing the animal improve the condition of 
things. On the contrary, the moment that life is extinct 
decomposition begins, and the waste is much more rapid ; 
hence the use of antiseptics, as salt, soda, saltpetre, etc., to 
arrest decay. 

Animal foods therefore are exceedingly unstable, not to 

say impure, in their best estate ; whence their character as 

inflammatory food. All animal products, as butter, eggs, 

cheese, etc., partake of this character, in a greater or less 

2 



4 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 

degree. Beef and mutton are perhaps the best of the flesh 
foods. Fish, fowls, oysters, etc., belong to lower orders 
of animal life, some of which are infested with vermin or 
animalculse,* and all of which feed upon less inviting food 
substances than do the nobler animals. 

A further objection to the use of meat is found in the fact 
that many animals are afflicted with acute or chronic dis- 
eases, and are often rushed into market in that condition. 
This is particularly true of swine, and often indeed of cattle, 
Were the actual statistics given in all their loathsome de- 
tails, of scurvy in swine, of ulcerated livers, of deaths from 
trichinae, of beef discolored from venous blood, and often 
from semi-putrefaction, it would be enough to pall the 
keenest appetite, even though it failed to convince the most 
perverted judgment. 

In the following pages the subject will again be adverted 
to, and reasons given why hygienists regard meat, the best 
of it, as second-rate food ; and salt, its usual condiment — 
which is a metallic, inorganic substance — as no food at all. 
Some hints will also be given as to the relative merits of the 
various food products, both in regard to health, and also to 
their nutritive value. It will likewise be shown, that so far 
as the quality of the hygienic diet is concerned, the resources 
of nature, as well as of art, are not by any means exhausted. 
Indeed, the hygienists themselves have scarcely more than 
commenced to study the matter. The place to begin, of 
course, is in the department of agriculture. It is well known 
that grains, fruits and vegetables, are capable of improve- 
ment by culture, to an almost unlimited extent ; and there 
is little if any doubt that nearly all fruits fully ripe, and in 
their finest development, would be exceedingly palatable as 
nature furnishes them. It is much to be hoped that an 
enlightened public sentiment, on this subject as on others, 



* The liquor of oysters is said to be filled with infusoria or animalcule. 



INTRODUCTORY. 5 

will help to bring about a higher culture of all these prod- 
ucts, and especially of fruits. 

Some dietetic reformers, in their eagerness to gratify a 
perverted palate, have fallen into the habit of mixing various 
foods together, indiscriminately, in the preparation of a 
single dish. Such admixture, if confined to one class of 
products, for instance the grains, would not be amiss ; but 
the plan of putting together in the same dish, fruits and 
vegetables (say cabbage, beans, beets, squashes, etc., with 
raw or cooked fruits), is a practice that can not be too 
strongly condemned. Sound stomachs might be able to 
manage these conglomerations, but weak or diseased ones 
would certainly be the worse for it ; and it is a question 
whether even the best digestion, under such treatment, 
would not finally be impaired. 

This brings us to the subject of the dietetic classification 
of foods. It also suggests a reason for some slight depart- 
ure in this book from the ordinary grouping of food 
products. For example, under the head of " Vegetables," 
only such products are named as seem to be dietetically 
allied to each other ; no attention being paid to scientific 
technicalities. In like manner, tomatoes and melons are 
classed with vegetables, because they are intended to be 
eaten with them. And it might be added, that meats, if 
eaten, are thought to digest better taken with vegetables, 
rather than with fruits. There is no doubt that very oily sub- 
stances eaten with fruits, make rather a bad mixture ; and it 
ought to be thoroughly well known that the large amount 
of sugar ordinarily cooked in the latter, renders them diffi- 
cult to digest, and often causes pain in the stomach, or cholera 
morbus, particularly if they are eaten with vegetables. The 
trouble is not with the fruits, but with the sugar, and the 
bad combinations that are made. 

The subject of food combinations — whether cabbage and 
raw apples will digest well together, or strawberries and 



D HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 

cucumbers, or grapes and Lima beans, etc., etc. — is a topic 
that in the main has been quite overlooked. In the last few 
years, however, some careful observations have been made 
by hygienists, in the management not only of very sensitive 
stomachs, but also those of ordinary strength ; and the con- 
clusion has been reached, that here as elsewhere, there are 
certain general principles underlying the whole subject, 
which, if properly understood, would be of much value. 
Certain physicians, among them the writer of this book, 
believe that (for feeble stomachs at least) fruits and vege- 
tables do best when taken at separate meals ; that vege- 
tables, when eaten, should be taken at dinner ; and that 
disregard of these rules often leads to indigestion. It is a 
question, then, whether with care in these respects, there 
would be that difficulty which some persons experience in 
eating fruits, and others in eating vegetables. 

In the management of patients with even a moderate 
amount of vitality, the writer has found no difficulty in 
enabling them to eat fruits in abundance, and without the 
slightest inconvenience; and to a certain extent the same is 
true as respects the use of vegetables. A very good rule for 
general observance, is to make the breakfast of bread and 
fruit, and perhaps some grain preparation; the dinner of 
bread, vegetables, etc. ; and the supper of bread and fruit 
only, or bread and fruit juice. It is also a good plan, if raw 
apples, peaches, or grapes are eaten, to take them at break- 
fast, and by all means at the beginning of the meal. Let the 
fine sub-acids touch the bottom of the stomach, so to speak. 
If melons are eaten, they should be taken at or before the 
dinner; if at the meal, they should be served at the com- 
mencement of it, not at the close. These rules have been 
found to work well with persons who are sick, and they can 
hardly work ill with those who are in good health. Or, as 
it is sometimes said, "What will make a sick man well, 
will also keep him well." 



INTRODUCTORY. 



The question is frequently asked, whether the hygienic 
diet is to be recommended from an economic stand-point. 
So far as the table itself is concerned, the one way of living 
is probably about as expensive as the other ; in other words, 
the money that is usually spent for tea, coffee, sugar, butter, 
meat, condiments, etc., is laid out for choice grains, ripe, 
dried or canned fruits, and the best of vegetables. But if 
there is a saving of time and money in the enjoyment of 
uninterrupted good health, then indeed, there is economy 
in hygienic living. A lady who has tried both ways, and 
who was formerly a patient and boarder in our house, gives 
her testimony as follows : 

" My husband and I have been married twelve years ; 
and it is only since leaving your house, two years ago, that 
we have ever been able to save a cent. Doctors, medicines, 
and what we then supposed to be the ' best of living,' viz., 
meat three times a day, and beef-tea between meals for 
strength (?), ate up the small salary. Last year we bought 
a lovely little home, and on a salary of fifteen hundred 
dollars, we saved five hundred to pay on the place. And 
the diet — why, we never lived so well ; good bread of 
Akron Graham flour, fresh vegetables, and the best of 
fruits and grains. We kept a horse, and hired a man to 
work the garden. We feel that we have only just begun to 
live. In health I am better ; more like my real self ; more 
sunshine, contentment, and happiness — all owing to a 
good, pure diet, fresh air and exercise." 

To those who may desire to understand more fully the 
Keasons why hygienists depart somewhat from the ordi- 
nary methods of preparing foods, the chapters in Part I. 
may be of interest. And should the reader find in these 
more or less repetition of what has been stated elsewhere 
in the work, the simple fact that it has all been written 
piecemeal may in part account for it. The items have been 
jotted down from time to time, as the writer could note 



8 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 

them ; and in the end there was very little chance to re- 
write, or even rearrange the matter in hand. Another six 
months would have made a more orderly work, but it would 
not have silenced the clamor for the book at all hazards. 

There ! now, good friends, take the volume just as you find 
it ; and if you can write a better, the author of this will 
gladly help you to sell it. But one thing — do not decline 
the present one, and then come to us with inquiries of this 
sort : " How do you steam these choice grains ? " " Tell me 
how you make your cream biscuits ? " " What are your 
rules for preparing those fine fruits?" "How do you 
manage to cook vegetables so nicely?" e What ails my 
little Graham rolls that they never look like yours ? " etc., 
etc. Take the book, follow its directions, and you will find 
out all about it 



NOTICE. 



In a work of this kind, it is hardly to be supposed that all 
the dishes described have had the personal supervision of 
the author. A large per cent., however, of the recipes in 
Part II. belong to this class, and since they can readily be 
vouched for, they will, as a matter of convenience, be desig- 
nated thus : =|=. Not that the ones so indicated are all of 
the same value ; on the contrary, some dishes will be in 
much greater demand than others. For example, the hard 
Graham rolls are — or ought to be — on the table daily ; 
cream biscuits come only once or twice a week, and currant 
scone not much oftener ; while strawberry shortcake makes 
its appearance only a few times in the whole year. 

In Part HI. there are many recipes that the writer has 
not been able to test, even indirectly ; a large number, how- 
ever, have been put into experienced hands, and (from the 
compromise stand-point) have been heard from favorably. 
These recipes will be known to the reader by the follow- 
ing sign : 4(=. 

(9) 



PART I 



THE REASON WHY. 

CONSTITUENTS OF FOOD. 

The following tables, giving the composition of the various 
grains, together with that of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, 
beef, mutton, eggs, milk, and cream, are taken from Pavy, 
that well-known authority on Food and Dietetics. 



TABLES. 
Varieties of Wheat in the dry* state. — (Payen.) 





Hard 
wheat. 
{Venezu- 
ela.) 


Hard 

wheat. 
{Africa.) 


Hard 
wheat. 
{Tagan- 
rog.) 


Semi- 
hard 
wheat. 
{Brie.) 


White or 

soft 

wheat. 

{Tuzeile.') 


Nitrogenous matter . . . 

Starch 

Dextrin, etc 


22.75 

58.62 

9-50 

3-50 

2.61 
3.02 


I9.5O 
65.07 
7.60 
3.OO 
2.12 
2.71 


20.00 
63.80 
8.00 
3.IO 
2.25 
2.85 


15-25 
70.05 
7.00 
3.0O 
I.05 
2-75 


12.65 

76.51 
6.05 
2.8o 


Cellulose 


Fattv matter 


1.87 
2.12 


Mineral matter 




IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 



* In an ordinary state, gTain contains from t 1 to 18 per cent, of water. 

(ID 



12 



HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 



[PART L 



Varieties of grain in the dry state. — (Payen.) 





Rye. 


Barley. 


Oats. 


Maize. 


Rice. 


Nitrogenous matter. . . 
Starch 


12.50 

64.65 

14.90 

3.IO 

2.25 

2.6o 


12.96 
66.43 
IO.OO 

4-75 
2.76 
3.IO 


14-39 
60.59 

9-25 
7.06 
5.5o 
3.25 


I2.KO 

67.55 
4.OO 

5.90 

8.80 

1.25 


7.55 

88.65 

I. OO 


Dextrin, etc 


Cellulose 


I. IO 


Fatty matter 


O.80 


Mineral matter 


O.9O 




IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 


IOO. 



Composition of Buckwheat. — (Pa YEN.) 

Nitrogenous matter 13. 10 

Starch, etc 64.90 

Fatty matter 3.00 

Cellulose 3.50 

Mineral matter 2. 50 

Wat«./ 13.00 



100. 



Composition of Beans. — (Payen.) 



Horse 
Bean. 

Nitrogenous matter 30.8 

Starch, etc 48-3 

Cellulose 3.0 

Fatty matter 1.9 

Saline matter 3.5 

Water 12.5 

100. 



Broad or Windsor 
bean, dried in the 
green state, and 
decorticated. 

29.05 

55.85 
I.05 
2.00 

3-65 
8.4O 

IOO. 



French or Kidney Bean.— (Payen.) 

Nitrogenous matter 25. 5 

Starch, etc 55.7 

Cellulose 2.9 

Fatty matter 2.8 

Mineral matter 3.2 

Water 9.9 



PART I.] CONSTITUENTS OP FOOD. 13 



Dried Peas. — (Payen.) 

Nitrogenous matter 23.8 

Starch, etc gg\ 

Cellulose «"c 

Fatty matter 2 1 

Mineral matter 2.1 

Water 3'-, 



Lentils. — (Payen.) 

Nitrogenous matter . 25.2 

Starch, etc 56.0 

Cellulose 2.4 

Fatty matter , 2.6 

Mineral matter 2.3 

Water n.g 

100. 
Potato.— (Payen.) 

Nitrogenous matter 2.50 

Starch 20.00 

Cellulose 1.04 

Sugar and gummy matter 1.09 

Fatty matter o. 11 

Pectates, citrates, phosphates, and silicates of \ fi 

lime, magnesia, potash, and soda \ 

Water 74.00 

100. 
Sweet Potato. — (Payen.) 

Nitrogenous matter i.5° 

Starch 16.05 

Sugar 10.20 

Cellulose 0.45 

Fatty matter 0.30 

Other organic matter i- 10 

Mineral salts 2.60 

Water 67.50 



Lean Beef.— (Letheby.) 

Nitrogenous matter • - *9-3 

Fat 3.6 

Saline matter 5- * 

Water 72.0 



14 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 



Lean Mutton. — (Letheby.) 

Nitrogenous matter 18.3 

Fat 4-9 

Saline matter . 4.8 

Water 72.0 

100. 
White Fish* 

Nitrogenous matter 18. 1 

Fat 2.9 

Saline matter 1.0 

Water - ... 78.0 

100. 
Eggs. — Entire contents. \ 

Nitrogenous matter 14.0 ,, 

Fatty matter 10.5 

Saline " 1.5 

Water 74-o 

100. 

Egg— White of. 

Nitrogenous matter 20.4 

Fatty matter 

Saline '-' 1.6 

Water 78.0 

100. 
Egg— Yolk of. 

Nitrogenous matter 16.0 

Fatty matter 30. 7 

Saline " 1.3 

Water 52.0 

100. 

Milk {Cow's). — (Letheby.) 

Nitrogenous matter 4.1 

Fatty matter 3.9 

Lactin 5.2 

Saline matter 0.8 

Water 86.0 

100. 

* From Pavy's " Food and Dietetics," p. 171. t lb., p. 182. 



PART I.] FOOD AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. 15 

Cream.— (Letheby). 

Nitrogenous matter 2.7 

Fatty matter 26.7 

Lactin 2.8 

Saline matter 1.8 

Water 66.0 

100 

Food and Physical Development. 

The food question is one of the most important, not to 
say the most difficult, that the physiologist has to handle ; 
and with all the experience of bygone ages, we have not as 
yet been able to fully unravel the mysteries of this many- 
sided problem. What products to select and the best 
methods of growing them, how to prepare the food and 
how often to partake of it, what quantity is necessary to 
supply the waste of the tissues, what variety is needed, and 
what combinations produce the best digestion — all these, 
and more, remain to be studied in the light of known facts 
and of physiological science. 

As regards the nature or quality of foods, it must be con- 
ceded that that food is best which most nearly supplies the 
natural waste of the tissues. And those articles which con- 
tain the largest amount of the materials necessary to build 
up the body, these being in the required proportions, 
would rank higher in value than other articles which are 
poor in this respect. Nature has given us a bountiful 
supply of food products, some rich in quantity and variety 
of nutritive elements, and some containing an abundance of 
certain food principles, with rather a meager supply of 
others ; while there are many that yield only a limited 
amount of nutrient matter. Thus, the lavish profusion that 
is furnished to our hand gives room for the exercise of 
judgment in selecting foods, as well as skill in preparing 
them. 

The results of chemical analysis, as given by Liebig, 



16 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

Boussingault, Payen and others, place the grains at the 
head of all nutritive substances, as will be seen by the 
tables at the beginning of this chapter. And while it does 
not follow that we must, as a rule, use the more nutritious 
articles of diet to the exclusion of the others, it would seem 
to be in accordance with reason that the former should 
occupy a more prominent place in the food list than the 
latter. For example, wheat, which contains 85 per cent, of 
solid matter, would be better suited to sustain life than 
turnips, that have only 11 per cent. ; and better also than 
meat, that has but 36 per cent. In so far, therefore, as 
chemical analysis can give us any light, the grains rank 
highest as foods. 

But it is sometimes said that the relative value of the 
different food products can be better determined by experi- 
ence than by chemical analysis ; and as there is not space 
in this short chapter to investigate the latter, let us give a 
passing thought to the former. Experience, to be of value, 
must be derived from the observation of a sufficient number 
of individuals to give us something like a rule, deduced 
from facts which these individuals can furnish. "What, 
then, are the facts ? Looking over the nations of the earth, 
savage and civilized, we find great disparity among them 
as to the physical development of their inhabitants ; some 
are well proportioned, with good bones and muscles, sound 
teeth, robust bodies, and all the other evidences of fine 
growth and excellent general health. Others are small in 
stature, ill-proportioned, wanting in muscular development, 
and otherwise inferior in physique ; and while it must not 
be taken for granted that food alone is responsible for 
these several results, still it can not be denied that it is an 
important factor in the case. Comparing the dietetic 
habits of the people of these nations, there has been found 
to exist a very striking correspondence between the quality 
of the food thev eat, and the size, strength and symmetry 



PART I. ] FOOD AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. 17 

of their bodies. It lias also been noted by travelers that in 
those countries, in Europe and elsewhere, in which the 
people were remarkable for long life, strength of body and 
fine proportions, combined with rare personal beauty and 
good complexions, their dietetic habits have been relatively 
simple, and the food itself restricted for the most part to 
the products of the soil. 

The peasantry of Europe furnish examples of whole 
nations of people living almost exclusively on a grain and 
vegetable diet, with perhaps a moderate supply of milk. 
They use coarse bread, and an abundance of cereals, va- 
riously prepared. They eat very little meat, and their food 
as a whole, contains few condiments. It is likewise worthy 
of remark, that among these simple rural people, who can 
not afford either the rich dietary or the sparkling wines 
and other stimulating drinks used by the wealthy, there is 
a smoothness of skin and purity of complexion that is quite 
the exception among the upper classes. This is particularly 
noticeable in England and Scotland ; and it is said to be 
the same in Germany. There is a certain wholesome come- 
liness among the peasant lads and lasses that does not quite 
belong either to the people of rank (who, having every facility 
for mental and physical culture, ought to look well), or to the 
denizens of cities, whose habits of eating and living are 
less simple than theirs. According to Felix L. Oswald, 
M.D., " The strongest men of the three manliest races of 
the present world are non-carnivorous : the Turanian mount- 
aineers of Daghestan and Lesghia, the Mandingo tribes of 
Senegambia, and the Schleswig-Holstein Bauern, who fur- 
nish the heaviest cuirassiers for the Prussian army, and the 
ablest seamen for the Hamburg navy." 

The following item from the San Francisco Chronicle, is 
another bit of evidence showing that the best of muscle 
can be made from a diet that is simple and sparing, and 
that contains very little animal food : 



18 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

" Yokohama, July 1, 1882. — Japan furnishes an example 
that tells largely in favor of a vegetarian diet. That the 
Japanese are a people of muscle and great physical endur- 
ance is apparent on every hand. The specimens of muscu- 
lar development shown in the build and structure of the 
working classes, are evidences of great strength and hardi- 
ness. The diet of these men is entirely of vegetables and 
fish, and they are very economical feeders at that. The 
quantity of food they require, or at least the quantity they 
eat, is astonishingly small when compared with the food de- 
voured by the meat-eaters from the Western world. The 
amount of manual labor they perforin is simply prodigious. 
The coolie, who takes the place of, and who does the work 
for which oxen and horses are utilized elsewhere, is about 
as strong, and can accomplish about as much heavy work as 
the animals themselves. They are possessed of immense 
power of limb, being able to pull loads that would be con- 
sidered as much as any other draft animal could draw. 
It is wonderful to see them walking away with the heavy 
loads they easily move ; and as carriers of burdens upon 
the shoulder they are capable of startling achievements. 
Seemingly their frames are as tough as steel, not suscepti- 
ble of cold or intense heat — going thinly clad in freezing 
weather, and not shrinking from the sun in its most oppres- 
sive season." 

There are also abundant statistics, and some of them 
from excellent authorities, showing that among the savage 
tribes there exist the most startling contrasts in respect tc 
longevity, beauty of form, and strength of muscle. And 
the travelers who have made note of these facts, and who 
in all probability cared nothing whatever for dietetic rules or 
theories, tell us that the meanest and most hideous forms 
of human life (as the Calmucks) were found among those 
people who subsst almost exclusively upon animal food, 
and this often of a very low order. On the other hand, 



Part l] food and physical development. 19 

those races that are celebrated for their beauty of form and 
complexion (as the Circassians), are an agricultural people, 
drawing their subsistence chiefly from the soil. 

But leaving the Europeans and Asiatics to work out their 
own destinies, may we not venture to inquire whether cer- 
tain physiological defects among our own people, defects so 
pronounced as already to be considered national, may not 
in some degree be traceable to their dietetic habits? Is 
there not some error, which if corrected, would lead to 
more beneficent results? There must be a reason why 
sound teeth are the exception ; why natural dentine gives 
place to porcelain ; why the teeth that remain are ill-shapen, 
loose in their sockets, and covered with scurvy. There 
must be a reason why heads are bald so early ; why heavy 
tresses of beautiful hair, even on youthful brows, are so 
rare ; why the few thin, straggling locks that remain, are 
harsh and faded, and the scalp covered with a scurvy dan- 
druff. There must be a reason why firmly knit muscles, 
giving to the human figure a beauty and loveliness of form 
almost divine, have left in their stead, loose, flabby tissues, 
with very little muscular fiber in them. There must be a 
reason why the rose tints fade so early from the cheeks of 
the young ; why healthful boys and girls are converted into 
little, spindling, wizen-faced creatures, looking more like old 
men and women of diminutive stature, than like thriving, 
growing children. There must be a reason why even in in- 
fancy the spine so often refuses to hold the body erect, and 
disease and deformity ensue. There is a reason, and it is 
our duty to find it. 

If the food we eat does not contain the elements out of 
which dentine is made, how can we expect to have good 
teeth ? If it is defective in nutritive quality, having a lack 
of those materials which make fibrin, by what process can 
we hope to clothe the bones with muscles ? If it has a 
meager supply of the " salts " which enter into the forma- 
3 



20 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

tion of the bones, why should not the little children (and 
those of larger stature) be limp and rickety ? If the nu- 
tritive substances that are found in hair are wanting, is it 
not reasonable that the middle-aged, and even our young 
people, should have bald heads ? If our tables do not sup- 
ply the elements which go to make up our bodies, and 
therefore to form the blood corpuscles out of which the 
various tissues are made, then indeed we must be content 
to have faded cheeks, flabby muscles, sunken eyes, weak 
backs, toothless gams, and bare scalps. Nor is it at all 
strange that what we have left is little more than a " bundle 
of nerves," since we have lavishly parted with all besides. 
We deserve our fate, if we do not mend our ways. 

Wheat and other Cereals. 

Old mother earth has given to man the very thing he 
needs, to keep him in perfect health. First among these 
gifts are the golden grains ; they contain in great abun- 
dance and well-suited proportions, those substances in organic 
combination that are required to build up the body, as its 
tissues are spent from day to day. 

Nature furnishes us in the organic kingdom, not " proxi- 
mate principles " as such ; not fibrin, albumen, or casein ; 
not starch, sugar, or fat ; not chlorides, carbonates, or phos- 
phates ; these latter, if obtained from the food products, 
come only through destructive analysis. Out of her own 
ample storehouse she gives us those wonderful products of 
the soil suited for human food. Nor must we fail to note 
the fact, that it is these, untouched by the hand of the 
chemist, that are received and appropriated by animal 
organisms. Trees may grow and thrive upon inorganic 
foods — in the aqueous or gaseous form — but animals never. 
The human animal, in common with the others, would very 
soon starve to death on these substances. Neither will the 
proximate principles of food, support animal life ; not even 



PART I.] WHEAT AND OTHER CEREALS. 21 

if we select those that are strictly of organic origin, as 
starch, sugar, oil, fibrin, albumen, etc. The vital instincts 
reject those j)roducts that do not come directly from 
Nature's own laboratory. 

The tables from Payen at the head of these chapters, will 
give a fair idea of the relative nutritive values of the dif- 
ferent grains. It will be seen that the saccharine element is 
most abundant in rye, the fatty in maize and oats, and the 
starchy in rice ; we observe, moreover, that oats are rich in 
mineral or saline matter (good for teeth and bones), and 
also in nitrogenous substances. 

The human body is known to be composed of some fifteen 
ultimate elements (the older authorities give thirteen), as 
shown by chemical analysis, all of which are supplied in 
common wheat. It is not strange, therefore, that this grain 
is a staple among food products throughout the civilized 
world, the fact being founded in the physiological needs 
of the human race. But it is strange, yes, marvelous, that 
this same wheat, which a beneficent Creator furnishes to 
our hand for the renewing of our bodies, should be largely 
stripped by man of its nutritive materials before he eats it. 
There is more than a grain of truth in the saying, that " the 
principal article of human food in America is a robbed, 
depreciated substance, incapable of sustaining human life." 
That "the human animal in America is drenched with 
starch " (in the use of white flour), " and destroyed by it." 
That " the ten thousand mills in America which are to-day 
engaged in pulverizing wheat, and sifting from it its gray 
matter," ought to be classed with the " distilleries of the 
land," as shorteners of human life ; and that the " exter- 
mination of the one is not more to be desired, than the 
annihilation of the other." 

What stupidity (shall we call it madness?) that in the 
flour of commerce we should take away from the wheat — 
in a large degree, certainly — no less than twelve of the 



22 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

fifteen elements that belong to it, and without which the 
growth of the human body can not be maintained! In 
other words, the wheat, with its fifteen elements, which are 
nearly or quite identical with those of the human body, is 
reduced for the most part to a white, starchy substance, 
containing only three of the ultimate elements, carbon, 
oxygen and hydrogen. The rich supplies of silica, sodium, 
sulphur, phosphorus, calcium, nitrogen, and other elements 
that are found in the bones, teeth, hair, nails, muscles, and 
in the blood, are gone! And the self -defrauded people, 
instinctively aware, as it were, that they are perishing for 
lack of those life-giving products, are now attempting to 
supplement the loss in a way that is none the less ridiculous 
and foolish. Vainly endeavoring to compensate for the 
things wasted, they betake themselves to the swallowing of 
certain substances which are little else than proximate ele- 
ments or principles derived from the foods proper. 

Why this roundabout process ? Why separate these vari- 
ous substances from the grains, doing violence to their 
organic structures, and then eat them individually rather 
than take them in organic combination, as Nature has pro- 
vided them? The idea is entertained by some, that in 
selecting and combining certsihiparts of the grains, a food can 
be prepared that will not only supply some special need in 
the system, but that it will afford nourishment to a particular 
organ or part of the body. Following this theory there are 
persons who delight to sup on cooked gluten, to eat 
wheatena, " diabetic bread," " brain food wafers," or any of 
the " food preparations," as they are called, rather than to 
take the food itself. Nor is it at all uncommon to see per- 
sons wet up wheat bran, coarse, flaky stuff, hardly fit for 
horses, and swallow it as a " medicine," and then sit down 
at meal-time, and eat white flour bread in preference to that 
made from the whole wheat ! Any way but the right way ; 
particularly if it be fashionable, or in seeming accord with 
the old-time custom of " taking something." 



PART I.] WHEAT AND OTHER CEREA.LS. 23 

Coming fairly and squarely to the point, the truth of the 
whole matter is simply this : What is best suited to the 
nourishing or building up of the body as a whole, is also best 
adapted to the proper growth of its individual members. 
The late E. T. Trail, M.D., has very justly remarked that 
" Those who would prepare healthful food, and those who 
desire to ' eat to live,' should ever bear in mind that no one 
of the alimentary principles is capable in itself of properly 
nourishing the body. Neither of them, in the proper sense, 
is food, but merely a constituent part of food. And almost 
ail the aliments or substances used for food, contain very 
nearly, and some of them quite all of these proximate ele- 
ments. Hence the futility of all the multitudinous experi- 
ments, in feeding human beings or animals on a constituent 
part of an aliment, instead of the aliment itself. Such 
experiments only show the physiological ignorance of the 
experimenters." 

Those constituent parts of food which are known to phys- 
iologists as proximate principles of the " second class " (oil, 
sugar, starch), are purely of organic origin. And the same 
is true of those of the third class, as fibrin, albumen, casein, 
etc. These two classes differ widely, both in their nature 
and origin, from those inorganic substances which are des- 
ignated, proximate principles of the first class. The latter 
— most of them metallic — though obtainable by destructive 
analysis from organic products, are also found elsewhere, 
some of them existing largely in the surface of the earth. 

Now, if the proximate elements of the second and third 
classes can be shown to be incapable of supporting animal 
lif e, what shall we say to those of the first class ? If dogs 
starve to death on starch, sugar, oil, fibrin, etc., would they 
thrive well on chlorides, carbonates and phosphates ? And 
yet there are people who do not hesitate to recommend even 
these. They imagine that if magnesia, sulphur, soda, etc., 
are lacking in the bones and other tissues, they can eat 



24 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

magnesia, soda, sulphur, etc., or the carbonates, phosphates, 
etc., which contain them — quite ignoring the fact that these 
substances are simply earthy or inorganic materials, and as 
such, utterly incapable of supporting animal life. They 
seem not to understand that the only possible way in which 
human (or animal) beings can make these substances avail- 
able, is to take them, not as inorganic matter, but fresh 
from the hand of Nature, as part and parcel of the food 
products, in a state of perfect organization — before the 
chemist has laid his finger upon them. It has been truth- 
fully said, that where chemistry begins, organic life or 
structure ends. 

If lime is a necessary constituent in our bones, we can 
easily supply the system with the needed " salts " by eating 
wheat, not lime, or other calcareous substances. If sulphur 
is required in the hair, we shall obtain it from the grains ; 
not by taking the crude article. If sodium is called for in 
the formation of the different structures, let us look to the 
wheat and other cereals for that ingredient ; not to soda, or 
chloride of sodium. 

Had God or nature intended that we should eat inorganic 
substances, or even made it possible for us to subsist upon 
them, what need would there be to till the earth ? If, like 
trees, we can live upon gases, or derive nourishment from 
phosphates, etc., why turn the furrow, or put in the seed ? 
These materials abound in the crust of the earth, and are in 
no sense the products of agriculture. But why debate this 
question ? It has been shown again and again, that so far 
from man's being able to subsist upon inorganic matter, 
neither he nor the lower animals can get nourishment out of 
them ; they can only live upon the natural, organic products 
of the earth. It has been repeatedly demonstrated, that 
even those proximate principles which are strictly of organic 
origin, as oil, sugar, starch, fibrin, albumen, casein, etc., can 
not sustain animal lif e ; both dogs and men would starve to 



PART I. J WHEAT AND OTHER CEREALS. 25 

death on any one of them, or all of them put together. For 
example, wheat alone, with water (the latter as a carrier of 
nutrient material), will support human life for an indefinite 
length of time. But if we separate the wheat into gluten, 
starch, sugar, etc., and attempt to live upon these, with or 
without the water, certain death will in a few weeks or 
months repay us for our folly. 

And yet, well as these facts are known among physiolo- 
gists and scientists, people still persist in eating white flour 
bread, which is mostly starch, actually preferring it to bread 
made from the flour of the whole wheat ! Really, is it not 
high time that we ceased to eat, and feed to our children, 
an article of food that dogs can not live upon ? 

In speaking of this subject, Dr. Trail remarks : " AH of 
these proximate constituents vary exceedingly in their 
ability to sustain the prolonged nutrition of man or animals ; 
but neither of them alone can supply perfect nutrition, nor 
sustain the organism for a great length of time. Their 
power to do so is in the ratio of their complexity. Thus, 
gluten, which combines in itself a greater number of ele- 
ments, or in other words, is a more complex substance in 
its chemical composition than any other alimentary prin- 
ciple, is capable of sustaining the nutrition of animals 
longer than any other." 

Dr. Graham is even more explicit on this important sub- 
ject. He says: "Can any inorganic compound of oxygen, 
hydrogen, carbon and azote, be made to answer as a substi- 
tute for animal or vegetable food ? Certainly not ! And 
the reason is evidently not because any particular chemical 
character or property is wanting in such a compound, but 
because such a compound has not the constitutional nature 
which adapts it to the constitutional nature and functional 
powers of the living animal organs." He further adds: "A 
single pound of good wheat contains about ten ounces of 
farina, six drachms of gluten, and two drachms of sugar ; 



26 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET I. 

and a robust laboring man maybe healthfully sustained on one 
pound of good wheat per day, with pure water, for any length 
of time he chooses, without the least physiological inconven- 
ience; but let him attempt to live on ten ounces of pure 
farina, six drachms of gluten, and two drachms of sugar per 
day, with pure water, either taken separately or mixed 
together, and he will soon find his appetite and strength and 
spirits failing, and his flesh forsaking him; and death will 
terminate his experiment in less than a year. Can chemistry 
tell us why this is so ? Indeed she can not ! But physiology 
tells us with promptitude and accuracy, that wheat, in its 
whole substance, is constitutionally adapted to the anatomi- 
cal structure and physical powers of the alimentary organs 
of man; but that farina and gluten and sugar, in their con- 
centrated forms, are not; and therefore that the wheat, 
while it affords healthful nourishment to the body, also sus- 
tains the organs in digesting and appropriating that nourish- 
ment; but that the farina, gluten and sugar, though purely 
nutrient principles, break down the alimentary organs, 
destroy their functional powers, and cause the whole system 
to perish." 

Now, either Dr. Graham is correct in these statements, or 
he is not. If incorrect, it would be the easiest thing in the 
world to demonstrate the fact, by a few simple experiments 
upon dogs. If Dr. Graham is right, we ought to credit his 
statements, and have the benefit of his teachings. 

What has been said in this connection in regard to wheat, 
is in nowise limited to that grain — it applies with more or less 
force to rye, oats, barley, and the grains in general. If we 
want the best that there is in them, we must neither reject 
nor destroy any of the nutritive substances which they con- 
tain. Even the woody fiber which forms the outer coating 
of the grain, when properly cleaned and cut sufficiently fine, 
serves its purpose in the intestinal canal — on the same prin- 
ciple that straw is needed for horses, when they are fed too 



PAKT I.] WHEATEN VS. WHITE FLOUR. 27 

exclusively on oats or other grains. We need bulk as well 
as nutrition, in the foods we eat; were this not the case, 
what would be the use of all the varieties of fruits and vege- 
tables, many of which, in one sense, serve to " fill up " with 
fluid or solid materials, rather than to supply large quanti- 
ties of strictly nutritive substances ? Indeed, we can scarcely 
commit a greater mistake than to confine ourselves to the 
use of the very nutritious or concentrated foods. 

To present this whole theme in a nutshell, the reader is 
referred to the following chapter, which gives the testimony 
of Dr. Calvin Cutter, that well-known physiologist of 
Warren, Massachusetts. 

Wheaten vs. White Flour. 

The idea is sometimes entertained that bread made from 
wheaten meal (usually called Graham flour), is less nutritious 
than that made of the ordinary white flour; and that the 
persons who eat it are simply subjecting themselves to a 
" starvation diet," which does not support life properly. Let 
those who cherish such views read Dr. Cutter's statements, 
and then decide for themselves which of the two kinds of 
bread lacks the elements of nutrition that the system re- 
quires. First, however, let us hear, in a few words, what a 
well-known divine has to say. 

Rev. J. F. Clymer, of Auburn, N. Y., has given a discourse 
to his congregation on "Food and Morals," in which he 
goes straight to the root of the matter* In speaking of the 
white flour of commerce, he says: "The process of bolting 
or refining takes from the wheat most of the phosphates 
and nitrates, the elements that are chiefly required for mak- 
ing nerves, muscles, bones, and brains. The phosphates 
and nitrates being removed by bolting, very little remains 
in the flour except the starchy carbonates, the heat and fat- 



* This discourse has heen published in pamphlet form, and is for sale 
by Fowler & Wells, New York. 



28 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

producing elements. The use of fine flour bread as a staple 
article of food, introduces too much heat and fat-producing 
elements into the system; and where there is too much car- 
bon or heating substance, it tends rather to provoke the 
system to unnatural and abnormal action, and instead of 
serving as an element to warm the body, its tendency is to 
burn or consume, heating and irritating all the organs — 
getting one into that state which is properly known as * hot- 
blooded.' 

" The fine white flour ordinarily used has two-thirds of 
the nitrogenous and mineral nutriment that God put in the 
wheat, taken out. Unless these deficiencies are made up by 
some other foods, the exclusive use of fine flour bread will 
leave the nerves and bones poorly nourished, producing in 
some systems nervousness, dyspepsia, and all the physical 
ills that follow these diseases, together with impatience, 
fretfulness, and irratibility. God intended that all the 
nutritive properties He put in the wheat should stay 
in it for purposes of symmetrical nourishment. Fine flour 
bread may be used for purposes of producing heat in the 
system, but it does not feed hungry nerves or starving 
bones. 

" One reason why children fed chiefly on white bread feel 
hungry nearly all the time, and demand so much food be- 
tween meals, is found in the fact that their bodies are in- 
sufficiently nourished. Their bones and nerves not receiv- 
ing the nitrates and phosphates they need, are suffering 
from hunger." 

Now we will hear from Dr. Cutter. He says : " 1. Flour 
is the only impoverished food used by mankind — impover- 
ished by the withdrawal of the tegumentary portion of the 
wheat, leaving the internal, starchy or white portion. See 
the facts : In Johnson's ' How Crops Grow ' you find that in 
1,000 parts of substance, wheat has an ash of 17.7 parts ; 
flour has an ash of 4.1 parts — an impoverishment of over 



PART I.] WHEATEN VS. WHITE FLOUR. 29 

three-fourths. Wheat has 8.2 parts phosphoric acid ; flour 
has 2.1 parts phosphoric acid — an impoverishment of about 
three-fourths. Wheat has 0.6 lime and 0.6 soda ; flour has 
0.1 lime and 0.1 soda — an impoverishment of five-sixths 
each. Wbeat has 1.5 sulphur ; flour has no sulphur. Wheat 
has sulphuric acid 0.5 ; flour has no sulphuric acid. Wheat 
has silica 0.3 ; flour has no silica. 

"2. Flour is mostly starch — 68.7 percent. Its formula, 
chemical composition, is C 10, H 12, O 12 — three elements ; 
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen. The human body contains at 
least twelve elements besides those of starch. How, then, 
can flour be nutritious with about three elements, when it 
should contain fifteen elements, in order to properly nourish 
and sustain the human body ? 

" 3. Flour has less gluten than wheat. Gluten is the al- 
buminoid principle corresponding to the albumen, fibrin, and 
gelatine in the human body. 

" 4. Dogs fed by Magendie (vide Kirke & Paget's ' Physi- 
ology ') on flour bread, died in forty days ; other dogs, fed 
on bread from whole-wheat meal or flour, flourished and 
throve. The three-fourths impoverishment of the mineral 
ingredients proved fatal to the first. Why should not man- 
kind suffer in some manner from living on impoverished 
food? 

"5. The history of the Roman Empire in the time of 
Julius Caesar shows that wheat, as an article of food, com- 
bined with fresh outdoor-air life, is capable of producing 
and sustaining the highest type of physical manhood the 
world ever saw. The empire was built up and maintained 
by soldiers whose main article of food was wheat. 

" 6. There is every probability that the present prevalence 
of late erupting and easily-decaying teeth is due for one 
cause to the use of flour as food. In eight hundred and 
eighty of the school children in Woburn, Lexington, and 
Bedford, Massachusetts, in 1874, under twelve years of age, 



30 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

two-thirds had decayed teeth. See 'Report State Health 
Board of Massachusetts, 1875.' 

" 7. There is every probability that the prevalence of pre- 
mature grayness or baldness, is partly due to the present ex- 
clusive and universal use of white flour. Hair contains ten 
per cent, of sulphamid (N H 2 S). — Mulder. But there is 
no sulphur or sulphuric acid in flour. A flour, to be food, 
must contain in proper quantities all ingredients found in 
the tissues, hair, teeth, etc. If it does not, then impairment 
of vigor, decay, and falling off must be expected as a natural 
consequence. 

" 8. Flour for half a century has been regarded as one 
cause of constipation. It has been proved that whole- 
wheat meal (or flour) regulates the bowels by giving the 
system nerve food to 'run,' so to speak, the digestive 
functions and promote healthy peristaltic motions. Nearly 
all our functions are sustained by nerve-force ; hence the 
importance of having the nerves receive their full amount 
of phosphoric acid, which is the great pabulum of the nerve 
tissue. 

" 9. It is probable that the use of flour may be the cause 
of the change of the type of disease from strong (sthenic) 
to weak (asthenic).* 

"10. "Why should mankind, then, use flour and render 
themselves liable to disease, because flour is impoverished 
food? Remember Megendie's dog that died from eating 



* " The mineral ingredients of food for plants, contained in fertilizers, 
if withdrawn seventy-five per cent., would entail vegetable growths of 
very feeble vitality and the resistance to the causes of disease. No farmer 
would think of manuring his vegetables with one-fourth the fertilizers 
ordinarily deemed necessary ; or if he did, he would get a miserable and 
weak crop, if he got any at all. Now it is asked, May it not be possible 
that the present type of asthenic disease is partly due to the use of an im- 
poverished food like flour ? The answering of this must be made by the 
organized medical societies, although there is every probability that the 
reply will be in the affirmative." 



PART I.] WHEATEN VS. WHITE FLOUR. 31 

white-flour bread exclusively! How can parents expect 
their children to grow up with strong teeth, nerves, eyes, 
naii', etc., on flour ? In children every tissue and organ is 
growing, increasing in size, and developing. Every element 
which belongs to those tissues and organs should be con- 
tained in the food or alimentary substances, and in normal 
proportions, as provided by the Creator in the natural sub- 
stances designed and proved by history to be perfect food. 
Wheat is such an article ; but white flour made from it is a 
substance weakened, deteriorated, and impoverished ; and 
history shows that people eating it are more subject to tissue- 
wasting disease (consumption, etc.) than ever before. Why 
then, not use the whole of the original wheat, ground or re- 
duced to a uniform condition, without loss or injury to the 
food elements, with its native normal balance of quantity of 
mineral ingredients in a soluble assimilable form, as Liebig 
and others advocate ; and such as it is demonstrated undeni- 
ably and incontrovertibly, by facts of history, to be capable of 
producing the highest type of manhood the world ever saw ? 
Why raise a pale, feeble, nervous, and small-sized race of 
people on flour because flour-bread looks white and light, 
and therefore is considered nice? What principle of 
aesthetics is it that confers such a pre-eminent place upon 
the color of white ? Why not brown or bronze ? What is 
more grateful to the senses than the complementary colors 
of landscape ? If it were all white, it would be both re- 
pulsive and injurious. This preference of white over yel- 
low or brown, or any other color, is not based upon the 
truth of existing facts, else it would be inferred that a white 
statue is preferable to a bronze. The fact is, the elevation 
of white bread into the highest place of preferment is 
altogether unfounded and unwarrantable. The white color 
comes from starch ; and the whiter the bread the more 
starch it contains, and of course the less nutrition, as starch 
has only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen to make tissue, 



32 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

which would contain fifteen elements. The whiteness of 
flour is, in fact, an outward sign of the starvation and death 
within. Indeed, the present universal use of white flour is 
one of the most remarkable facts in the history of civiliza- 
tion — remarkable, because it is the only impoverished food 
upon the diet list. Over-boiled meats and vegetables are 
the only approach to impoverished food. People know 
enough not to eat them. But that they should love to eat 
white flour is certainly very remarkable indeed, and almost 
an evidence of a fallen nature, as there is nothing like it in 
the whole history of eating. 

" 11. What is wanted is a wholesome, healthful, nourish- 
ing wheat food — a whole-wheat flour in the fullest and 
broadest sense of the term — containing every one of the 
fifteen elements in their normal proportions, and reduced 
to an entire evenness of condition, which is most favorable 
to digestion and assimilation. It is a common practice, to 
a large extent, to grind the finest and soundest wheat into 
fine flour, and the poorest into what is called ' Graham flour.' 
This term * Graham flour ' ought no longer to be used ; 
it is a kind of general name given to mixtures of bran, and 
poor and often spoilt flour, to a large extent unfit for human 
food. We must have a thoroughly pure, sweet, and nutri- 
tious whole-wheat flour, made from the choicest and ripest 
wheat, wholly (bran, or cortical portion, and all) reduced 
to a uniform fineness of quality, and well put up for family 
use ; and whoever will give his earnest and honest efforts 
to furnishing such a flour, and keep its manufacture up to 
this high standard all the time, will confer a lasting benefit 
upon his race and generation, and find a remunerative 
market for all he can produce. The brown loaf is to our 
eye as handsome as the white, and in it we secure all the 
important nutritive principles which the Creator for wise 
reasons has stored up in wheat." 

As respects the relative values of white flour and that of 



PART I.] THE FRUITS. 33 

the whole wheat, the following table, if even proximately 
correct, ought to be of especial interest. It was submitted 
by a Mr. Johnson, some years ago in Blackwood's Magazine : 

In 1,000 lbs. Whole Wheat. Fine Flour. 

Muscular matter 156 lbs. 130 lbs. 

Bones and saline matter 170 " 60 " 

Fatty matter 28 " 20 " 

Total in each 354 " 210 " 



The Fruits. 

Fruits are almost as indispensable to a healthful dietary 
as the grains, particularly in the summer season, and in 
warm climates. They supply those delightf ul acids that are 
not only agreeable to the palate, but specially suited to the 
needs of the vital organism. They cool and refresh us in 
the heat of summer ; they supply organic fluids to the 
system, replacing those that are lost in perspiration from 
day to day ; and they keep the vital machinery in good 
working order. If no other proof were furnished of the 
natural requirements of the human system for fruits, a very 
broad hint is given in the fact that they are capable of 
being grown in nearly every quarter of the habitable globe ; 
throughout the temperate zones, as well as the tropics, we 
find them in great abundance. 

Another evidence in the same direction, is the fact that 
in the course of the season the different varieties of fruits 
follow each other in close succession, so that one is 
hardly gone till another is ready. And, as if to supply any 
defect that may arise from negligence on our part, or from 
climatic causes, one quarter of the globe supplements an- 
other to such a degree, that any local failure in the fruit 
crop is largely made up by an over-abundant yield in some 
neighboring locality. So that if apples fail us in the 
Middle States, they are directly shipped from the North ; 
or if the supply from that quarter is short, there are peaches 



34 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

and oranges in the South. And yet, how much more com- 
plete would this arrangement be, if the soil were so culti- 
vated from year to year as to yield its largest product! 
Anything like a complete failure of the fruit crop, were 
such a thing possible in this country, would be nothing 
short of a great national calamity. Next to the grains, 
therefore, in dietetic importance, we must place the fruits ; 
they minister alike to the pleasures of the appetite, and to 
the actual wants of our bodies. 

The sour fruits, especially, are the best of " cholagogues," 
doing away with all need of " bilious remedies," so called ; 
they stimulate the liver to its normal activity, and prevent 
that " clogging up " of the organ which causes retention of 
bile, thickening of the blood, and other derangements conse- 
quent upon non-performance of functional action. And it 
will be observed that those which have keen acids, come in 
great profusion just at the time we need them most ; viz., 
after the long winter, when both fruits and vegetables are 
necessarily scarce. 

Fruits are the natural correctives for disordered diges- 
tion ; but the way in which many persons eat them, con- 
verts them into a curse rather than a blessing. Instead of 
being taken on an empty stomach, or in combination with 
simple grain preparations, as bread, they are eaten with 
oily foods, with meat and vegetables, pungent seasonings, 
or other unwholesome condiments ; or they are taken at the 
end of the meal, after the stomach is already full, and per- 
haps the whole mass of food " washed down " with tea, 
coffee or other liquid ; or they are eaten at all hours of the 
day ; or late at night, with ice-cream, cake or other rich 
desserts ; and a few hours after, when there is a sick 
patient, and the doctor has to be sent for, the innocent 
fruits get the blame of all the mischief, when really, their 
only sin was in being found in bad company. 

Fruits, to do their best work, should be eaten either on an 



PABT I.] THE FRUITS. 35 

empty stomach, or simply with bread — never with vegeta- 
bles. In the morning, before the fast of the night has 
been broken, they are not only exceedingly refreshing, but 
they serve as a natural stimulus to the digestive organs. 
And to produce their fullest, finest effect, they should be 
ripe, sound, and every way of good quality ; moreover, 
they should be eaten raw. What is better than a bunch of 
luscious grapes, or a plate of berries or cherries, on a sum- 
mer morning the first thing on sitting down to breakfast ? 
Or a fine ripe apple, rich and juicy, eaten in the same way -. 
In our climate apples should constitute not the finishing, bui 
the beginning of the meal, particularly the breakfast, for a» 
least six months in the year ; and fruits, raw or cooked 
should make a part of the morning and evening meal (pro 
vided suppers are eaten), during the entire year. 

The good effects that would follow the abundant use o\ 
fruits are often more than counterbalanced by the per- 
nicious habit of completely saturating them with sugai. 
Very few fruits, if thoroughly ripe and at their best, require 
any sugar, particularly if eaten in the raw state ; but un- 
happily it is a fact, that what was intended and prepared 
for us as a great good in the matter of diet, should be trans- 
formed into just the opposite. It is also a misfortune that 
people in this country should so habituate themselves to 
" sweet things " (foods prepared with sugar), that almost 
everything in the line of fruit acids "tastes sour"; so that 
what would otherwise be a pleasant acid flavor, must be 
covered with or cooked in sugar, before it can be relished. 

The taste can be educated in this direction, as in its 
opposite, to an almost unlimited extent. This is seen in 
comparing the dietetic habits and tastes of the people of 
this country with those of Great Britain ; the former use 
perhaps five times the amount of sugar that would suffice 
for the latter. And cooked fruits that are " plenty sweet " 
for an Englishman or Scotchman, would not be touched by 
4 



36 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

the average American without the saccharine condiment. It 
is worthy of remark, moreover, that those who are excessively 
fond of sweet fruits or condiments, rarely fail to call for the 
intensely sour, as lemons or pickles. This, indeed, is a neces- 
sary consequence ; for when the liver is badly congested 
from the use of sugar, the vital instincts naturally call for 
the keen acids, in order to empty out the bile ducts, set 
them in good working order, and get rid of the debris. 

Whoever can induce our people to turn their attention 
more largely to the cultivation of fruits, and then show them 
the necessity of making them a staple on their tables, to the 
exclusion of so much animal and fatty foods (particularly 
butter), will confer upon them an incalculable blessing. 
Such a change would save the lives of thousands of children 
— to say nothing of those of a larger growth — and it would 
make the ones that survive better worth the saving. 

Many persons, with rather feeble digestive powers, can 
not manage raw fruits, as apples, at the evening meal ; and 
some, who can eat them with impunity at the beginning of 
the breakfast or dinner, can not digest them well at the end 
of the meal. One reason for this is, that after taking warm 
food into the stomach, its nerves are to a certain degree re- 
laxed, and that organ is no longer able to do its best work. 
And just here we have the explanation of another fact, viz., 
that if the meal is simply a cold lunch, raw fruit can gener- 
ally be eaten at the beginning, middle, or end of it, without 
the slightest inconvenience. 

Sylvester Graham, M.D., furnishes still another reason, 
which is probably a good one, why raw fruit is usually 
better digested in the earlier than the later hours of the day. 
He says : " But it should always be remembered that fruit 
of every description, if eaten at all, should be eaten as food, 
and not as mere pastime, or merely for the sake of gusta- 
tory enjoyment ; and therefore it should, as a general rule, 
be eaten at the table, or constitute a portion of the regular 



PART I.J THE FRUITS. 37 

meal. I do not mean as the dessert of flesh-eaters, after 
they have eaten already enough of other food ; but I mean 
as a portion of the regular meal of vegetable-eaters, taken 
with their bread, instead of flesh and butter ; for their break- 
fast and their dinner, but more sparingly at their third 
meal or supper, especially if this meal be taken late in the 
day. The truth is, that all cooked food, even under the 
best regulations, impairs in some degree the power of the 
stomach to digest uncooked substances ; and therefore, so 
long as we are accustomed to cooked food of any kind, we 
must be somewhat more careful in regard to the times 
when we eat fruit and other substances in their natural 
state. The digestive organs always in health partake of 
the general vigor and freshness of the body, and always 
share with it also in its weariness and exhaustion. Hence, 
as a general rule, so long as we are accustomed to cooked 
food, the stomach will always digest fruit and other sub- 
stances in their natural state better in the early than 
in the latter part of the day. Moreover, it is a truth of 
considerable importance, that fruit and other substances in 
the natural state are digested with more ease and comfort 
when taken alone, at a regular meal-time, than when taken 
with any kind of cooked food, except good bread. While, 
therefore, human beings, and especially in civilized life, 
wholly disregard these physiological principles, and eat 
fruit with anything and everything else, and at all hours of 
the day and night, they ought not to be surprised, and still 
less should they complain, if they suffer from their erro- 
neous habits. But nothing is more certain than that if 
human beings will in a reasonable degree conform to the 
physiological laws of their nature, they may eat almost 
every variety of esculent fruits which the vegetable king- 
dom produces, with entire safety and comfort." 



38 health in the household. [paet i, 

The Vegetables. 

Vegetables, while they must rank second as compared 
with fruits, have a greater value, dietetically considered, 
than is generally accorded to them. In the first place, they 
give bulk to our food, which is a matter of more importance 
than is commonly supposed ; and in the next place, they 
furnish a large amount of organic fluids, which are digested 
and assimilated "by the system. It is a mistaken idea which 
some persons have, that those foods are necessarily best 
which contain a large amount of nutrition in small bulk. 
They seem to forget that food, to be properly digested and 
appropriated by the organism, must contain something 
more than the mere nutritive particles ; there must be 
certain indigestible materials supplied to the intestinal 
canal, else the bowels, having little to do, would lose their 
natural tone, and shrivel up, as it were, from mere inac- 
tivity. This is what actually happens, to a certain degree, 
when persons live too exclusively on white crackers, or fine 
flour bread, and other highly concentrated forms of food. 

G-. Schlickeysen, a German writer, in treating of this 
subject, says : " The value of the various articles of food 
consists not, as is generally supposed, in their chemical con- 
stituents, but in a variety of other conditions, which we 
shall here mention. In the first place, the food must con- 
tain the necessary amount of water to maintain the excre- 
tory processes through the breath, perspiration, and other- 
wise. Fruits contain an abundant supply of water, so that 
when they are eaten freely the drinking of water is almost 
entirely unnecessary ; and the vegetarians are really justifi- 
able when they say, 'We drink fruit'; and they might also 
add, « We eat water.' " 

Horses ? it is well known, can not live exclusively on 
grains ; they need straw as well — and even wood-shavings 
have been successfully substituted when straw could not be 



PART I.] THE VEGETABLES. 39 

had.* On the same principle, if not to the same extent, 
human beings thrive best on a diet that contains a certain 
per cent, of coarse material. For example, the grains, as 
wheat, rye, etc., which are excellent in themselves, are not 
the best by themselves. 

Nor must we overlook the fact that our bodies are made 
up of both fluids and solids — about one-fourth of the latter 
to three-fourths of the former ; or, as some one has stated 
it, in rather general terms, the human body is so many 
pounds of salts, etc., and a " few pailfuls of water." Now, 
when we consider that the fluids of the body are the first to 
waste, either in sickness or health, it will be seen that in 
order to supply that waste, liquids as well as solids are ' 
required in the food. The potato, which is 75 per cent. 
water, and which many call poor in nutritive value, will of 
itself sustain life for an indefinite length of time. Indeed, 
if we had to choose a single article, and live on it exclu- 
sively, the potato would come nearer meeting the wants of 
the system, so far as its fluids are concerned, than the 
grains, which contain so large a proportion of solid matter. 
Pavy, in his treatise on Food and Dietetics, very justly 



* The following paragraph is from Dr. Graham's " Science of Human 
Life": 

"About thirty years aao," says Governor William King, of Maine, "I 
went to the "West Indies, and during my voyage became acquainted with 
the following fact, which may be relied on as strictly true. A vessel from 
New England, with a deck load of horses, bound to the West Indies, was 
overtaken by a violent gale, which swept away all the hay on board, and 
carried away the masts. The captain was obliged to feed his horses on 
corn. After a while they began to droop and to lose their appetite, and 
at length wholly refused to eat their grain, and began to gnaw the scant- 
lings and spars within their reach, and to bite at the men, and eve^thing 
else that came in their way. The captain threw pieces of wood before 
them, which they immediately began to eat. After this, he regularly sup- 
plied them with a quantity of cedar shingles, which they eagerty ate as 
they would hay, and soon recovered their appetite for their grain, and 
improved in health and sprightliness, and continued to do well on theif 
food of corn and cedar shingles till they got into port." 



4:0 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

remarks that, physiologically, " the separation of the ingesta 
into ' food ' and ' drink ' is unsuitable ; that the two factors 
of life are food and air"; and that the former "embraces 
both solid and liquid matter." 

It is, indeed, a nice point to determine just what propor- 
tion of our food should be fluid and what solid, to say 
nothing of the indigestible matter, as bran in wheat, which 
is necessary to the normal or healthy action of the intestinal 
canal. One thing is certain : in warm weather, when there 
is much waste of the fluids of the body through the skin, 
the supply of liquid material must be correspondingly large. 
Here is where the juicy fruits, and even the vegetables, sup- 
ply a great want in the vital economy ; they give us a large 
amount of fluid matter, in an organized state. Indeed, we 
have a most beneficent arrangement in the relation of sup- 
ply and demand ; when our needs are greatest and most 
urgent, the stock of supplies from Nature's storehouse is 
most abundant. 

In the early spring, when we have grown tired of " last 
year's leavings," the tender vegetables fill our markets and 
delight our eyes in glad anticipation of a change in the 
repast. The young beets, the spinach and asparagus, the 
early cauliflower, and even the lettuce and onions, have 
charms for us then. As summer draws nigh, the varieties 
of choice vegetables multiply, giving us green peas, toma- 
toes, string beans, summer squashes, and an almost endless 
variety of products. Then come the autumn days, and with 
them the great Lima beans, the Hubbard squashes, and the 
sweet potatoes. Nor does the supply fail us when winter 
approaches ; there are still turnips, potatoes, cabbage, win- 
ter squashes, and other good things. Really, it is little less 
than wonderful what varieties of vegetable products there 
are, even in a single latitude or climate. 

Another feature in regard to vegetable foods, is the strong 
contrast that exists in the flavors of the several products. 



PART I.] THE VEGETABLES. 41 

There are " families," it is true, the members of which show 
their kinship by a similarity of flavor and texture ; but out- 
side of these the differences or individualities are strongly 
marked. For example, what is more unlike in appearance 
and taste than a cabbage and a sweet potato, or a beet and 
a butter bean ? 

Some of these vegetables are of less value as foods than 
others, their dietetic importance seeming to consist more in 
the individual constituent that is added to the general food 
product, than to the merit that belongs to them separately 
considered. To illustrate : common lettuce does not seem 
to possess any extraordinary dietetic properties ; but after 
a long winter, when everybody has tired of bread, beans 
and potatoes, to say nothing of " beef, mutton and ham," a 
fresh bunch of tender lettuce with a dressing of lemon 
juice, is to most persons really inviting. So is a dish of 
young peas, cauliflower or spinach. Something green is 
wanted after the old sameness of dry dishes, and it would 
be a great misfortune if, for even one season, the gardens 
should fail us. 

Vegetables and fruits are so unlike in their individual 
flavors and characteristics, that they should not, as a rule, 
be eaten together, or at the same meal. A good plan is to 
confine the vegetables to the noon-day repast, letting the 
morning and evening meal be made of fruits and cereals 
variously prepared. Ordinarily, these latter are quite suffi- 
cient for breakfast, though a dish of baked potatoes would 
not be a bad accompaniment. The potato is so unobtrusive 
in its nature, that it rarely creates disturbance eaten with 
any other food. Like the grains, it "goes well" with 
either fruits or vegetables, and it is about the only vegetable 
of which as much can be said. Not that well people, who 
scarcely know they have a stomach, might not manage a 
meal very well with miscellaneous combinations, but feeble 
stomachs must either discriminate, or suffer. For a fuller 



42 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART 1. 

elucidation of this subject, the reader is referred to the 
chapter on Food Combinations. 

Meat as an Akticle of Diet. 

The flesh of healthy animals, as beef or mutton, is neither 
the best nor the worst of foods. In actual nutritive value, 
so far as either quality or quantity of nutrient material is 
concerned, the grains will always stand at the head of the 
food products. In respect to variety, we have but to add 
to these the various fruits and vegetables, each in its season 
and in its highest state of culture, and we have, as many 
believe, all, and the best, that is needed for the sustenance 
of our bodies. But such are the customs in modern cook- 
ery, and such the arts and inventions of civilized life, that 
these things, naturally good, are often transformed into any- 
thing but wholesome foods. It is, therefore, a common 
remark, made even by those who do not approve of eating 
the flesh of animals, that meats, prepared in a plain way, 
are far less injurious than many other articles that are often 
found on our tables ; such, for example, as fine flour bread, 
ordinary cake, pickles, pungent sauces, preserves, jellies, the 
usual pastries, etc., etc. At the same time the question 
remains, whether any of the meat dishes can begin to com- 
pare with a fruit and bread diet (using bread made from 
the flour of the whole wheat), either in nutritive value, or in 
respect to health. 

In the first place, every particle of animal flesh (including 
the human), is, to a certain extent, laden with effete, worn- 
out material that is making its way out of the vital domain. 
It is that kind of material out of which are formed the 
bile, perspiration, and other excretory products, the bare 
mention of which would be unsuitable in a work of this 
kind. These products are the results of a transformation 
in the downward grade — sometimes called destructive assimi- 
lation — by which the ingredients of the animal tissues are 



PART I.] MEAT AS AN ARTICLE OF DIET. 43 

decomposed, and converted into waste substances. In the 
language of the physiologist, they represent the "physio- 
logical detritis of the animal organism." Every drop of 
venous blood is laden with it ; so much so, that if an animal 
is not well bled when it is killed, the meat is actually poi- 
soned by it. 

It is the presence of these waste products in meat, that 
renders it so quickly putrescent after life is extinct — unless 
some antiseptic is employed, which shall so change the 
nature of the meat itself as to render it no longer the same, 
even in nutritive value. It is the presence of these that 
causes the chyle formed from a diet of meat, and taken 
from the living vessels, to putrefy in a few hours ; while 
that which is elaborated from grains and other vegetable 
products, will keep for weeks with no material change. It 
is due to the presence of these that the perspiration, and 
indeed all the excretions of meat-eaters, are more offensive 
than those of persons living upon fruits and grains, and 
other products of the soil. And just here we have an ex- 
planation of the fact that the flesh of most carnivorous 
animals is so disgustingly filthy and putrescent, that it is 
utterly unfit for human food. Their bodies are filled with 
this waste matter, working its way a second time out of the 
domain of animal life, and this time laden with still another 
portion of "physiological detritis." 

Persons who live upon animal foods have need to pay 
special attention to bathing, change of underwear, and other 
habits of cleanliness, else their very presence will reveal the 
character of the materials out of which their tissues are 
made. This is particularly true in the case of individuals 
whose sedentary habits prevent them from throwing off the 
waste matters fast enough to keep the body in a pure, whole- 
some condition. 

But there are reasons of a moral nature why meat is not 
the proper food for man. The habit of murdering animals 



41 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. (_PART L 

is of itself degrading; even beef -loving England will not, it 
is said, allow a butcher to serve on a jury, particularly if 
the case to be tried is one involving human life. One of 
the foulest murders that ever disgraced a peaceful commu- 
nity, was committed some years ago in Ohio, by a man 
(supposed by his neighbors to be a peaceable citizen) who 
had spent the day in killing hogs; he pursued his victim, a 
young woman, to the village church-yard, and there stabbed 
her with the very knife with which he had cut the throats 
of the swine. 

As to the actual necessity for a meat diet, it is not true, 
as some suppose, that vigorous health can not be maintained 
without it. On the contrary, "four-tenths of the human 
race," according to Yirey, subsist exclusively on a vegetable 
diet, and as many as seven-tenths are practically vegeta- 
rians.* 

Then, there is an argument outside of physiology — one 
that sooner or later will have to be considered — why the 
flesh of animals should not form a part of the diet of human 
beings. At the present rate of increase of the human fami- 
ly, the surface of the earth will, in a few centuries, be far 
too densely populated to admit of the raising of animals to 
be used as food. For it has been shown that it would 
require more than forty times as much land to feed a man 
on meat, as it would to feed him on grains. f It follows, 
therefore, that when land is scarce, as it will be when the 
earth is many times more thickly populated than at present, 
the acres will have to be utilized in the way that is most 
profitable; not in the raising of hogs, cattle and sheep, but 
in the cultivation of grains, and other products of the soil. 

Keturning to the sanitary argument against the use of 



*See "Physical Education," by Felix L. Oswald, M.D., published by 
D. Appleton & Co. 

t See essay on " The Influence of Food on Civilization," by Eichard A. 
Proctor, in the North American Review for December, 1882. 



PART I.] MEAT AS AN ARTICLE OF DIET. 45 

animal foods, it is proper to remark that so long as there 
are persons who, from life-long habit or otherwise, think 
they " must have it," they should at all events beware of dis~ 
eased meats. The cattle that are shipped into New York for 
the market, have many ot them come hundreds oi miles in 
ill-ventilated cars, often in hot weather, and are stowed into 
fhem almost as closely as they can stand; here they are sur- 
rounded with a stifling, filthy atmosphere, and frequently 
they have not a drop of water on the whole journey. A 
large per cent, are disabled from being trampled underfoot; 
and by the time they reach the city some of them are sick 
or dying with typhoid or other putrid fevers, and all are in 
such a feverish condition that their bodies are poisoned, 
through and through. 

Nor must it be forgotten that all stall-fed or sty-fed ani- 
mals are, to a certain extent, diseased; in fact, the fattening 
process is of itself nothing more nor less than the progress 
of disease. When an animal ceases to take exercise, as in a 
stall, it also ceases to throw on 2 excretory matter promptly; 
its liver becomes engorged, the lungs are pressed upon, the 
blood can not be properly aerated, and loads of carbon 
retained excretion) in the shape of fat, are impacted between 
the once healthy muscles, which are now every day getting 
smaller and smaller. Fat people, as well as fat animals, 
have small, weak muscles — a fact well understood by 
the medical student. 

The presence of certain parasites in animal foods, is 
another strong objection to their use. It is a well-known 
fact that the ova of trichinae are taken into the human sys- 
tem by eating pork, and especially raw pork; and it has 
been questioned whether any moderate degree of heat would 
be sufficient to kill them. It is also perfectly well known 
that the larvae of the tapeworm may exist in oxen, sheep 
and swine; and that those who eat of the flesh of these ani- 



46 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

mals, particularly if it be not well cooked, are more or less 
exposed to the tapeworm malady.* 

Animals that are to be eaten should be fed on the cleanest 
of food, and should have plenty of pure water to drink; 
they should never be kept in confined places, or with filthy 
surroundings. In fact, they need at least a ten-acre field to 
run in, and get plenty of exercise and fresh air, as well as 
fresh grass. " But how can they have this," you ask, " when 
the country becomes densely populated all through ? It 
will take more room for the animals, than the people have 
for themselves and their children." Yery true; and when 
this is the case, the people will then be obliged to live upon 
fruits and grains, and the products of the garden, which 
will be infinitely better for them. Meat is an expensive 
diet, every way you take it; but the expense in actual dol- 
lars and cents, is the least part of it. Used three times a 
day, as it is by very many of our people, it is anything but 
health-producing; and the doctors' bills often exceed those 
at the meat market — to say nothing of the time lost, the 
suffering endured, and the actual impairment of the general 
health. 

It is the duty of the butcher, as well as of those who pur- 
chase the meat, to see that no animal is killed in an angered 
condition, as the blood is actually poisoned by the mental 
excitement thus produced. Neither should it be overheated 
by running ; this sends the blood to the capillaries ; and the 
flesh which is filled with it is not only much darker from 
the superabundance of venous blood, but the meat is ren- 
dered putrescent by it. Butchers have sometimes been 
obliged to throw away a whole beef, from its having been 
killed after severe racing ; the flesh being not only unfit to 
eat, but commencing to putrefy very soon after life was 
extinct. 



*See lecture on " Worms," by F. Spencer Cobbold, M.D., published in 
London, in 1872. 



PA RT I.] MEAT AS AN ARTICLE OF DIET. 47 

It will readily be seen, by glancing at the tables given at 
the head of these chapters, that all meats fall far below the 
grains in nutritive value. Some of the field vegetables, as 
sweet and Irish potatoes, artichokes and winter squashes, 
contain nearly or quite as much solid matter as meat, and 
considerably more than milk ; while beans, peas and lentils 
contain about three times as much as ordinary meat. 

Some years ago, great importance was attached to the 
fact that meats contain a large per cent, of nitrogenous sub- 
stances, these being considered by Liebig and others as 
highly essential to the production of muscular force. This 
theory, however plausible, has of later years been disproved 
by able authorities, as Frankland, Traube and others. In- 
deed, Liebig himself, who was the originator of the doctrine, 
has abandoned it altogether. In like manner, other pet 
theories, as what were supposed to be the " elements of res- 
piration," the " heat-forming principles," etc., have fallen to 
the ground, or at least lost much of their former signifi- 
cance. The more rational view is now somewhat favorably 
entertained, that whatever is best suited to the building up 
of the various structures of the body, or in other words, is 
capable of replacing that which is lost, must necessarily be pro- 
ductive of vital heat and vital force, these being generated in 
the normal quantity. The late E. T. Trail, M.D., in speaking of 
the doctrine advanced by Liebig, remarks : " The theory 
has no practical value in dietetics, for the reason that all 
the elements of nutrition, whether heat-forming, or flesh- 
forming, or bone-forming, are sufficiently distributed, and 
nearly equally so, throughout all those portions of both the 
vegetable and animal kingdom that man ever does or can 
employ as food." 

All domestic animals, either from the ignorance or negli- 
gence of those who keep them, or from other causes, are 
liable to be diseased ; this is particularly true in those stock- 
raising districts that are adjacent to cities. The animals are 



48 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I, 

largely swill-fed from "breweries ; and owing to the increased 
value of land in these vicinities, they have less territory to 
roam over or feed upon. By a careful perusal of the 
Beports made to the Department of Agriculture at Wash- 
ington, it is easy to arrive at the following facts, viz. : That 
all domestic animals, as horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, and even 
poultry, are subject to disease, those in some localities being 
freer from it than others. That next to hogs, fowls are 
most liable to be affected. That there are various diseases 
among hogs, the most fatal being that of hog-cholera. 
That the mortality from this cause alone is enormous, some 
counties in certain of the States losing as high as 80 per 
cent, per annum. That the value of farm animals lost to 
the United States in a single year (1879) exceeded $16,000,- 
000. That about two-thirds of this loss was due to diseases 
among swine. That these diseases prevailed more exten- 
sively in the Middle, Southern and Western States than in 
the Northern or Eastern. Improper food, insufficient 
housing, and lack of clean surroundings, seem to be the chief 
causes of disease among animals. 

Pork-Eating. 

If there is a practice in all Christendom that deserves the 
censure of this enlightened age, it is that of eating swine's 
flesh. Away back in the twilight of the ages, before Chris- 
tianity had been dreamed of, there were people upon the 
earth who, for sanitary reasons, if for no other, declined to 
touch the unclean thing. 

But we, who live in the light of the nineteenth century, 
who boast of our refinement, our intuitive perceptions, and 
our clear-headed forethought, who have all the wisdom of 
the centuries behind us, — we do not hesitate to take into 
our stomachs that which the Hebrew shoved from his table 
thousands of years ago, banishing its very presence by the 
strong arm of the law. We, forsooth, are a wise people! 



PART I.] PORK-EATING. 49 

What care we for certain legal enactments enforced by the 
Jewish leader, far back in history ? True, our children die 
of scrofula, entire families having often been swept off with 
consumption ; erysipelas appears in divers forms, and 
diphtheria (the legitimate result of foul feeding or foul air) 
is growing more and more common every year. Not only 
so ; there are every now and then sudden and almost tragic 
deaths from trichinosis, whole families being the victims. 
But so far, these things fail to alarm us ; and though statistics 
show that diseases are multiplying among the swine them- 
selves, killing them annually by the hundreds of thousands, 
we take comparatively little heed. Of the twenty million 
dollars' worth of hogs in the United States that were sick in 
1877, about 59 per cent. died. Has any one thought to inquire 
what became of the 41 per cent, that recovered? 

If, in the olden time, swine's flesh in its normal con- 
dition was not fit for a Jew, can we, in these days, make 
that which has survived the ravages of hog-cholera, hog- 
fever, etc., suitable for a Christian? It is said that Dr. 
Adam Clarke — who evidently had an antipathy to pork-eat- 
ing — having once been called upon to say grace at a barbecue, 
bowed his head reverently, and uttered these words : " O 
Lord, if Thou canst bless under the Gospel what Thou didst 
curse under the law, do Thou bless this pig." 

The hog is a scavenger by nature, and by practice ; it is 
iris proper mission on this earth, not to be eaten, but to eat 
up that which the nobler animals disdain to touch. Indeed, 
he adapts himself to circumstances, devouring whatever comes 
in his way. He is equally well pleased with the clean ears 
of corn, or the seething contents of the swill-pail ; he will 
dine on live chickens, or devour carrion. Nothing is too 
fine or too foul to suit his undiscriminating palate ; he has 
been called "the scavenger-in-chief of all the back-boned 
animals.'* Truly he is omnivorous. And yet, bad as the hog 
is, it is not absolutely impossible to improve his condition. 



50 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

Put him where he can not get refuse matter, where he will 
have only nuts, grains, etc., to feed upon, and he will readily 
conform, for the time being, to his better surroundings ; 
and in process of time his flesh would be improved in 
quality. But his nature no man can change ; give him his 
former haunts, and he will at once fall into his old ways. 
You can not educate him. 

Will any one give a reason why intelligent people should 
eat him, and from choice ? If we must dine on our fellow- 
creatures below us, are there not decent, clean-feeding 
animals, as the ox, and the sheep, that we could take in 
preference ? 

In a sanitary point of view the condition of the hog, in 
his best estate, is not flattering. His scurvy hide (which is 
perhaps the cleanest part of him), his foul breath, and his 
filthy feeding habits — are not these enough to bar him from 
our tables ? Or must we wait for such logical sequence as 
is sure to follow the violation of physiological law ? Wait 
till diseases are multiplied in kind, and intensified in char- 
acter, till we are fairly driven from the no longer question- 
able provender? Wait till our nearest friend is stricken 
with supposed typhoid fever, and dead of veritable trich- 
inosis? There can be no doubt that many persons have 
sickened and a number died, of what was thought to be 
typhoid fever, when really the disease was due to the 
presence of these parasites (the trichinae)* in the system ; 
for the symptoms in the two diseases are quite similar. 

As stated in the last chapter, one of the principal objec- 
tions to the use of animal flesh as food, is the fact that it is 
tilled with the debris of the vital organism, working its way 
through the capillaries into the various excretions, and out 
of the domain of life. Now, if this effete matter is objec- 
tionable, even in clean-feeding animals, what must be its 



* Trichinae are said to be found in the ox and sheep, as well as in the hog. 



PART I.] PORK-EATING. 51 

condition as it is thrown off from the tissues of scav- 
engers? And what the nature of the tissues themselves, 
when they are not only made out of, and nourished by a 
diet of garbage, but are thoroughly saturated with the 
almost putrescent matters with which -the venous blood is 
laden ? It is a fact which we seem rather slow to recog- 
nize, that the quality of all animal tissues partakes of the 
character of the materials out of which they are made. In other 
words, if we expect sound bodies with good firm tissues, 
we must look to the nature of the food we eat. 

Animal foods, of all others, should, if eaten, be selected 
with the utmost care ; the animals themselves should be 
well fed, well housed in winter, and allowed to graze from 
open pastures in summer. No animal or fowl should ever 
be stall-fed, or sty-fed ; and none with carnivorous or om- 
nivorous habits, should be used as food. The creature whose 
characteristics we are at present discussing, combines in 
his personality too many bad qualities to give him a decent 
passport to our tables. He is of low organization, and 
naturally filthy in his habits ; he is desperately foul in his 
feeding, is often kept and fattened in a close, dirty pig-sty, 
and as might be expected, he is specially subject to disease.* 
And yet the hog is found in every market in this country, 
and in Europe ; though recently the German and Austrian 
markets have forbidden American pork ; and other nations 5 it 
is said, have the matter under advisement. 

Nor must it be supposed for a moment that the use of 
pork is at all limited to the few, or to the very poor among 
our people. There is scarcely one family in twenty that 
does not partake of it in one form or another. The hams, 
the shoulders, the side-meat, the pickied souse (head-cheese), 



* Dr. Jas. C. Jackson makes the statement based, he says, on information 
derived from the pork-dealers of Cincinnati, Ohio, that " ninety-five hog-s 
in one hundred have ulcers on their livers from the size of *ra ounce 
bullet to a hen's egg." 



52 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

the stuffed sausages — every part is in demand. Pickled 
pigs' feet are considered a rare delicacy; and hogs' brains 
make another " dainty dish." But it is left for the very 
bon-ton of society to sit down to what is called beef a-la-mode; 
which is simply a beef roast plugged full of fat pork, along 
with innumerable spices, etc. 

Nor is it enough that we devour the several parts of the 
animal, even to his liver and kidneys; we strip the intestines 
of their fat, melt it down, and use it in the form of lard. 
This latter is the very quintessence of the swine; it is the 
diseased product of all his filthy feeding; and it is this arti- 
cle that forms a staple in almost every American family. It 
shortens the biscuits, the plain cakes, and the pastries; and 
it even finds its way into the loaf bread ! It oils the bake- 
pans, it fries the drop-cakes, the doughnuts, the Saratoga 
potatoes, and all the other " fried things," or nearly all. In 
short, there is neither breakfast, dinner nor supper without 
it, in some form or other. 

Do the people wonder that they are afflicted with scrofula; 
and that it crops out, full-fledged, in a single generation ? 
Oh for a Moses among the Gentiles, to forbid them, by legal 
enactment, the use of this vile thing, swine's flesh ! 

The late E. T. Trail, M.D., in discussing the quality of 
animal foods in his Hydropathic Encyclopedia, says: " Of 
the hog, whose filthy carcass is converted into a mass of 
disease by the ordinary fattening process, I need only ex- 
press my abhorrence. Although swine's flesh and grease, 
under the names of pork and lard, are staple and favorite 
articles of food throughout Christendom, common observa- 
tion has long since traced the prevalence of scrofula, erysip- 
elas, and a variety of glandular and eruptive diseases 
resulting from impure blood, to their general employment. 
If there are any animals which should be exterminated from 
the earth, mad dogs and fatted hogs are among them." 



PABT I.J MILK. 53 

Milk. 

Many persons who discard meat, do not hesitate to par~ 
take freely of milk, eggs, sugar, butter, etc., and to use 
pastries, cakes and puddings, that are little else than a com- 
bination of these, with the addition, it may be, of spices and 
other seasonings. Now, a plain diet of Graham bread with 
beef or mutton, roasted or boiled, and a fair allowance of 
fruits and vegetables, would be much more wholesome than 
the above articles, or the dishes that are manufactured out 
of them. 

As to milk, it is the natural diet for the young. But f 01 
grown persons, and especially for those who live in cities, 
or who incline to sedentary habits, it is not the best, or one 
of the best articles of diet. Before arguing the question, 
however, let us make a note of the fact that milk is one of 
those secretions that is readily affected, not only by the food 
the animal eats, but by the conditions, physical or mental, 
of the creature itself. If the health of the cow deviates 
from the normal standard, the character of the milk is im- 
mediately changed; if she is mentally disturbed, as by anger 
or fright, the mammary glands will secrete, not a whole- 
some, but a poisonous fluid. A mother not unfrequently 
kills her child, or throws it into spasms, by nursing it after 
she has been badly frightened, or after a violent fit of anger; 
and many a child has been " salivated, purged and narcotized, 
by mercury, drastic purgatives and opiates, respectively 
administered to the mother." * 

But the question is asked, " Suppose the animal is kept 
in the best possible condition, every way; would milk be 
objected to as an article of diet ? " Most assuredly not — for 
young calves. Nature has provided the very food that is 
needed, for all her babes. The milk of the cow, like that of 
other mammals, including the human, is intended for the 



* Pavy's "Food and Dietetics. 



54 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

nourishment of the infant; and as soon as the calf is able to 
take more solid food, the maternal supplies, where nature 
is not perverted, are dried up. But the unnatural practice 
of milking cows has distended the milk glands, and thus 
converted them, in a large measure, into depurating organs; 
and the milk supply is not only increased, but prolonged 
beyond the period that nature intended. Add to this the 
improper foods, as swill-feeding, the confined air, and other 
unhealthful conditions with which the animal is surround- 
ed, particularly in large cities, and we have not only a pro- 
lific source of disease, but an explanation, in part at least, 
of the enormous death-rate among young children; this, it 
will be noticed, is always largest in cities, where the milk 
used is poorer in quality than country milk. 

But returning to the direct question, suppose we have 
the best of milk, from perfectly healthy cows, what is the 
real objection to its use? To this question there are two 
answers ; the first is founded on experience, and may be 
stated as follows : It is the almost universal testimony of 
persons of sedentary habits, dark complexions and " bilious 
temperaments," that milk, even of good quality, does not 
agree with them ; and where there is torpor of the liver, or 
other dyspeptic conditions, it usually causes distress. The 
reason of this will directly appear. As already stated (and 
herein is the second answer), milk is designed by nature for 
the young of all mammals ; it contains a small per cent, of 
solid substances, but enough for the needs of the infant ; 
and these substances are just the elements, and in the right 
proportions, to make those soft, fatty tissues which the little 
creature needs for the protection of its small bones and 
delicate organs. As the child or young animal grows, and 
the teeth develop, other and more solid materials should 
take the place of the milk ; this change must, of course, be 
gradual. Many mothers do their babes harm, and in fact 
make them sick, by giving them solid food before they are 



/>ART I.] BUTTER AND EGGS. 55 

able to masticate it properly. And no less detriment is 
done to the full-grown child, when we give him an aliment 
that requires no mastication with the teeth, and which is 
designed only to make soft, " baby tissue." Such food is 
now needed as will make good, firm muscles, sinewy ten- 
dons, strong bones, and all the other tissues that belong to 
the adult man or woman. 

"But how about cream?" Well, cream, if used to the 
same extent, would perhaps be more injurious than milk ; 
it contains an abundance of fatty material, and if habitually 
taken is a prolific cause of biliousness. Young children 
that are fed largely upon cream — or butter, or meat, par- 
ticularly fat meat — become gross and plethoric, and are apt 
to break out with boils, or "scald-head"; or if a nursing- 
mother uses these articles to excess, her child will suffer in 
consequence. Ordinarily, cream does less harm than milk, 
from the simple fact that it is served in a very limited quan- 
tity ; that is, as a condiment, rather than a beverage ; and it 
is less employed than milk, even as a mixing material in 
breads, puddings, etc. For grains, mushes, plain puddings, 
etc., the juices of fruits make a far more wholesome dress- 
ing than cream ; and were we in the habit of using fruits in 
this way, the palate would not only tolerate readily the new 
combination, but we should come to like it. 

Milk, if used, should be taken, not as a beverage, but as 
a condiment, and then very sparingly, particularly by those 
persons who live in cities and whose work is indoors and of 
a sedentary character ; while invalids, as a rule, would cer- 
tainly be better without it. 

Butter and Eggs. 

If we dispense with milk — that is, leave it to the calf, for 
whom nature intended it — there will, of necessity, be no 
butter ; and, in a sanitary point of view, the absence of it 
would perhaps be no great loss, it being by no means as 



56 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT I. 

wholesome an article of diet as either milk or cream. Like 
other oils, it is, to a certain degree, indigestible ; not that 
it gives a "pain in the stomach," as a general thing, but it 
does not enter into those vital changes which are necessary 
to convert food into chyle proper. It mixes with the pan- 
creatic juice in the form of an emulsion simply, and goes 
into the blood in that crude condition ; and being carried 
through the system by the capillaries, it is deposited as fat 
in the various tissues, and largely in the skin. From the 
very nature of its constituents, butter has little nutritive 
value in it ; it usually contains 3 to 5 per cent, of casein 
(due to the presence of milk), and about twice that amount 
of water ; the other substances are oils, fixed and volatile. 
These readily decompose on exposure to the atmosphere, 
and butyric and other fat acids are set free. 

Persons who live largely upon butter emit a strong odor 
from the skin, very perceptible to those who do not use 
animal foods. The salt which has to be mixed with it to make 
it " keep," is not, to the hygienist, a desirable addition, for 
reasons which will hereafter be stated. Pereira says : 
" Fixed oil or fat is more difficult of digestion, and more 
obnoxious to the stomach, than any other alimentary prin- 
ciple. Indeed, in some more or less obvious or concealed 
form, I believe it will be found the offending ingredient in 
nine-tenths of the dishes which disturb weak stomachs. 
Many dyspeptics who have most religiously avoided the use 
of oil or fat in its obvious or ordinary state (asfat meat, 
marrow, butter and oil), unwittingly employ it in some more 
concealed form, and as I have frequently witnessed, have 
suffered therefrom. Such individuals should eschew the 
yolks of eggs, livers (of quadrupeds, poultry and fish), and 
brains, all of which abound in oily matter. Milk, and es- 
pecially cream, disagrees with many persons, or, as they 
term it, ' lies heavy at the stomach/ in consequence of the 
butter it contains. Rich cheese, likewise, contains butter, 
and on that account is apt to disturb the stomach.* 



PART I.J SUGAR. 57 

Schlickeysen, in speaking of the use of butter, eggs and 
cheese, remarks : " These cause an excess of fat in the 
system, and an offensive, slimy condition of the mucous 
secretions in the mouth and nose, quite apparent to those 
who, contrary to their usual habit, eat of them. Their 
effects are often apparent also in eruptions upon the skin, 
especially upon the face." 

Eggs are pretty generally conceded to be a " bilious diet "; 
and if eaten freely at each meal for a few weeks, the whites 
of the eyes usually show the presence of bile. The albu- 
men (whites of the eggs) cooked soft, would be less objec- 
tionable than the yolks, which contain about 30 per cent, of 
oil. If eggs are eaten they should be fresh, their use not 
too frequent, and confined to cool weather. The fowls 
should be allowed plenty of clean territory to roam over, 
and an abundance of fresh water, pure air, and good grains. 
Unfortunately, the habits of the bird are none the cleanest ; 
it will pick up and eat almost anything that comes in its 
way. This is why country eggs and country fowls (pro- 
vided there are good and healthful surroundings), are 
always to be preferred. In towns and cities, the chickens 
are necessarily confined to the house and yard ; whereas, 
in the country they have access to the open fields, and feed 
largely on grains. 

Persons who are subject to torpor of the liver, would do 
well to refrain from the use of either eggs or butter ; and 
those who have sound livers — and desire to keep them so— 
can take a hint. 

SUGAH. 

Hygienists have no objection to the use of saccharine 
matter, all that the vital economy requires, provided it is 
taken in the natural way ; that is, in organic combination 
with the other food principles, — not separated as a proximate 
element. In other words, the saccharine substances con- 



58 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

tained in fruits, grains and vegetables, are thoroughly whole- 
some, so long as we get them simply by eating these natural 
products. But when we separate them into starch, sugar, 
oil and the other proximate principles, and think to take 
these as foods proper, or in combination with them, we 
make a serious mistake. And were we to reduce all our 
foods to their proximate elements, and then try the experi- 
ment of living upon them, we should in the end meet the 
fate of " Megendie's dog." 

" But," say you, " we do not wish to confine ourselves to 
these things — the proximate elements — we only desire to 
use them in combination with other substances." Very 
true ; but the point is just here : if the proximate elements, 
taken collectively (after they have once been separated from 
the alimentary substances to which they belong), are in- 
capable of supporting animal life, then they must be worth- 
less individually, no matter how small the quantity in which 
we use them. If the proximate principles of food, combine 
them as we may with each other, lead to certain death, 
then it is plain that we must look for sustenance, not from 
these, but to those organized materials known to be capable 
of replacing the wasted tissues. And if any one desires a test 
in this matter, let him try the experiment of making, say 
half his meals for three weeks, provided he can hold out so 
long, out of as many of the proximate principles of food as 
he may select, and see how he thrives during that period. 
Before the time is one-quarter expired he will be tired 
enough of starch, sugar, oil, fibrin, albumen, casein, etc., 
and he will long for the foods proper, in undisturbed 
organic combination, in place of the miserable trash which 
he has been attempting to live upon. 

Since, then, these proximate principles can not support 
animal life, may we not reasonably expect that any consid- 
erable proportion of one or more of them, taken habitually 
with the food, would produce abnormal conditions of the 



PART I.] SUGAR. 59 

body ? What are the facts in the case ? Take, if you 
please, the article under consideration, viz., sugar ; and let 
us select the pure white crystals, in order to have as little 
organized or extraneous matter in it as possible. Try 
taking a heaping tablespoonful of this each night on going 
to bed ; and if you wish you may repeat the " dose " in the 
morning on rising. How long, think you, will it require to 
create a " bad taste" in the mouth, cause soreness in the 
liver and constipation of the bowels? Try it. A teaspoon - 
ful of white sugar put into enough milk or water to dissolve 
it, and given to a young babe, the quantity being repeated 
two or three times each day, would very soon derange its 
digestion, causing severe constipation. 

Another experiment easily tried is to double or treble the 
amount of sugar usually taken in the food, and note its 
effects. It will be seen that the increased quantity creates 
thirst, or in other words, slight inflammation of the mucous 
surfaces of the alimentary canal ; and if the digestion is 
ordinarily none too good, the sugar will most likely cause 
headache and other symptoms of indigestion. 

Xow, any substance that cannot be taken habitually, in 
the small quantity of say half a gill — not even on an empty 
stomach — withot causing abnormal conditions of the body, 
must, to say the least, be set down as of little value, dictet- 
ically considered ; and it is pretty safe to conclude that the 
less one uses of such an article, the better. No family of 
ordinary size can consume " barrels of sugar " in a year, 
nor half barrels, without detriment to the stomachs of its 
individual members ; . the difficulty, however, is usually 
traced to any but the right cause. It is quite common for 
persons who suffer, for instance, with periodic sick-head- 
ache, to affirm that what they eat has nothing whatever to 
do with it ; that the headache is inherited from father or 
mother. Did they ever think to inquire what gave it to the 
father or mother ? So much easier is it to put the causes 



60 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

behind us, out of our reach, than to correct our own bad 
habits. 

" But how can we do without sugar ? " you ask. Why, 
easily enough, at least as a rule ; even the acid fruits, a& 
strawberries, cherries, etc., if fully ripened, are sweet 
enough for the unperverted palate. And if these fruits 
come to our markets a little green, we can at least be con- 
tent to add only so much sugar as will make them as sweet 
as fully ripened fruit ; this amount you will find to be very 
little. Some hygienists cook sweet and sour fruits together ; 
preferring to make the one kind sweeten the other, rather 
than to use sugar. Whether this plan is at all times practi- 
cable, is a question elsewhere considered in this work. The 
fact that much of the sugar of commerce is largely adulter- 
ated, is another argument against its use ; a great deal of 
what is sold in the market under that name, is glucose. 
Whether this substance is more or less injurious than cane 
sugar (it is certainly less sweet), might be a matter of some 
importance, dietetically considered. One thing is sure, 
both are proximate elements, and as such are incapable of 
sustaining animal life. 

The habit which some have of sweetening cooked grains 
and breadstuff s, is a foolish and most unnatural practice; 
they are sweet enough of themselves; and if we were to 
train our children to eat these foods without sugar, they 
would not want it.* The fact is, we like the saccharine con- 
diment in just those dishes in which we have been taught to 
eat it, and in no others. For example, we do not want sugar 
in mashed potato, cauliflower, or string beans, any more 



* " Sir Anthony Carlisle relates an anecdote from his experience among 
the Arctic inhabitants : ' The most northern races of mankind,' he says, 
' were found to be unacquainted with the taste of sweets, and their in- 
fants made wry faces, and sputtered out sugar with disgust ; but the little 
urchins grinned with ecstasy at the sight of a bit of whale's blubber.' " — 
Pavy's " Food and Dietetics," page 412. 



PART I.J SALT. 61 

than we would relish salt or pepper in strawberries, stewed 
plums, or apple sauce. In other words, habit enables us to 
relish what we would otherwise barely tolerate. 

Salt. 

The fact that chloride of sodium, or common salt, is 
ordinarily found in the secretions and excretions of the 
human body, and also in the blood, has given rise to the 
belief that it is a necessary constituent in human food. And 
some physiologists have gone so far as to make the state- 
ment that it must be eaten, or the general health will suffer. 
Admitting, for the sake of the argument, that salt is one of 
the proximate principles legitimately obtained from the 
tissues of the human body, and that it is therefore indis- 
pensable in the vital economy, the question arises, why we 
should eat it, any more than that we should eat chloride of 
potassium, or carbonate of lime, or phosphate of magnesia. 
They, too, are found in the bones, and are obtainable from 
them; then why not eat these? The reply is, that there is 
no need; that the grains and other food products of the 
earth contain all the elements necessary to make these several 
constituents. This is very true; and it is equally true that 
the products named contain the other proximate principles 
— all of them — that are found in the human body in its 
normal condition. 

In dealing with this, the physiological argument, we may 
as well recognize the fact that the chloride of sodium found 
in the perspiration or other excretions, and also in the 
saliva, milk, tears, and other secreted fluids, as well as in 
the blood, is largely if not wholly due to the presence of the 
salt taken with the food; and the fact that it is found in 
these fluids is no proof whatever that it belongs there. "We 
can easily put into the stomach, whiskey, sulphur, iodine, 
strychnine, almost any thing, and afterward find these sub- 
stances in the blood, and in most or all of the secretions or 



62 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET L 

excretions of the body. Persons who live without salt find 
that the perspiration, tears, saliva, and also the blood, lose 
their saline taste, even in a few weeks or months. And if 
we were to select for experiment those wild animals known 
to live without salt, as rabbits, squirrels, etc., it might be a 
question whether anything short of a destructive analysis 
of their tissues would reveal the presence of actual chloride 
of sodium. 

But suppose we should find it ; what would this prove ? 
Simply that the vital organism has the power to create 
out of the foods furnished from the natural products of the 
soil those substances which it needs in the vital economy ; 
and if it has this power in the wild animals, the presumption 
is that the same power is not wanting, either in domestic 
animals or human beings. 

But it has been said that experience is, after all, the best 
test in these matters ; and that it is well known that not 
only human beings, but the domestic animals, require salt 
to keep them in healthful conditions. This latter statement 
is pure assumption — nothing more — the facts being on the 
other side. And the still more extravagant assertion, viz., 
that disease and death will follow the leaving off of salt is with- 
out a shadow of truth in it. There probably never was a time 
in the world's history when there were not people who lived 
and thrived without it, and also without meat. Certain it is, 
that there are such at the present day, both in savage and 
civilized life. But so much has habit to do with our 
opinions, that there is perhaps not one person in ten who 
does not believe that salt is absolutely essential to the 
health, and even comfort, of the domestic animals.* The 



* Dr. Graham, in his " Science of Human Life," says : " It is a little re- 
markable that some have contended for the necessity of salt as an article 
in the diet of man, to counteract the putrescent tendency of animal food 
or flesh-meat, when there is* not a carnivorous animal in nature that even 
uses a particle of it ; and few, if any, of the purely flesh-eating portions of 



PART I.] SALT. 63 

fact in the ease is simply this : nearly all these animals — 
at least in the United States — have been trained to the use 
of it (as will presently be shown), just as human beings 
have been ; and the probability is that not one of them 
would touch the article if its taste had not been already 
perverted. 

Any American who has visited the rural districts of Scot- 
land for the first time, will at once remark that the horses, 
cattle and sheep, are among the finest that he has ever seen ; 
the cattle and sheep especially are far superior to the 
average of them in this country. No doubt something is 
due to the better and more humane treatment in feeding 
and housing them ; these fine cattle, sheep and horses, how- 
ever, are never given salt The only cattle in the Cheviot 
Hills that ever taste it (and no doubt the rule is general 
throughout the country), are those that are fattened for the 
market. And just here are two important facts to be 
noted.* One is, that these cattle at first refuse the salt, but 
by sprinkling it lightly over the food, they will, rather than 
starve, eat the latter with the sprinkle of salt on it ; and 
finally they come to like the thing itself. The other fact to 
make a note of is this : their owners give it to the cattle for 
the purpose of making them eat more turnips. In other 
words, by creating a feverish or inflamed condition of the 
stomach (which salt will do — and all the more if the animal 
is unused to it), the cattle gorge themselves with the juicy 
turnips to quench their thirst ; they also drink more water, 
as a matter of course. This increased feeding causes them 
to lay on adipose tissue rapidly ; or in other words, it pre- 
pares them more quickly for the market. 



the human family ever use it in any measure or manner ; and most por- 
tions of the human family who subsist mostly on vegetable food, wholly 
abstain from it." 

* These facts were obtained from a native of Scotland, who was familiar 
with the raising and breeding of cattle, and other farm stock. 



64 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

The horses and sheep, as before stated, never taste salt ; 
in fact, the sheep are far too numerous and too frisky, as 
they run over their native hills, ever to be " salted " by the 
shepherds ; and they are perfect paragons in physical pro- 
portions, as well as in muscular activity. " But," say you, 
"they get it, from living so near the sea ; from the grass, 
and the air" Kidiculous ! The air of Scotland is as free 
from saline properties as it is in this country ; and so is the 
grass on the Cheviots. The salt in the sea is not " evap- 
orated " into the air ; neither is it " deposited " in the soil 
that covers those great masses of uplifted rock, known as 
the " hills of bonny Scotland." It has been stated that the 
farmers in Kentucky who raise fine horses, made the dis- 
covery years ago, that by leaving off the use of salt their 
horses thrived better, and had finer, sleeker coats in conse- 
quence. 

It now remains to account for the fact that, as a rule, the 
horses, cattle and sheep, in this country show no antipathy 
to it, but on the contrary, seem to relish it. The question 
is easily answered ; they nurse it in, with their mothers' 
milk, which is already impregnated with it, owing to the 
habit of " salting " among farmers. So that the calf, like 
the young child, gets the taste of salt with its nutriment 
from the hour of its birth. 

" But what about the wild animals that go to the salt 
licks ? " is the next question. This might be answered by 
asking another : " What of the wild animals that do not go 
to the licks ; if salt is necessary for some, why not for all ? " 
And we know that wild animals, as a rule, never taste it. 
We also know that it is positively injurious to some of them. 
It is a well-known fact that salt fed to birds, and even 
chickens, will kill them ; and a good supply of it about the 
roots of trees will destroy them. Of the deer that are said 
to go to the licks, Dr. Graham says : " As to the instinct of 
the lower animals, it is not true that there is any animal in 



PART I. J SALT. . 65 

nature, whose natural history is known to man, which in- 
stinctively makes a dietetic use of salt. It is true that some 
herbivorous animals, such as the deer, when they are dis- 
eased by worms, grubs, or bots, in the alimentary cavity, 
will instinctively go in pursuit of salt, not as an article of 
diet, not as a seasoning to their food, but purely as a medi- 
cine, to destroy the animals in their stomachs ;* and they 
never instinctively use it at any other time, nor for any 
other purposes." 

It is often asked whether any immediate pathological 
effects follow the use of salt. Let the person who asks this 
question, try taking double the usual quantity of this condi- 
ment,at dinner ; in less than an hour there will be a burning 
in the stomach (local inflammatory action) which will call 
loudly for water ; this feverish condition may last a good 
part of the afternoon, or it may pass off as the salty sub- 
stance is carried out of the stomach. A better test is to 
take the salt itself, undiluted except with a little water ; try 
a tablespoonf ul if you like, on an empty stomach. (This 
amount of a food proper, as rice, oatmeal mush, or good 
apple sauce, taken by a hungry man, ought not to cause any 
unpleasant sensations.) If you are not a most inveterate 
salt-eater, the quantity named will produce nausea, and per- 
haps vomiting. But to save the trouble of so unpleasant an 
experiment, suppose we take the testimony of Dr. Graham. 
He says : 

" Salt is a mineral substance, and is wholly innutritions 
and indigestible. If a tablespoonful of it be dissolved in 
half a pint of water, and introduced into the human 
stomach, it is immediately perceived by the organic sensi- 
bilities of that organ as an offending or disturbing 
substance ; great irritation is produced ; the vital forces, if 
not exceedingly impaired react with energy ; mucous 



* Dr. Graham, who did not believe much in medicine, was evidently will- 
ing to give the worms the benefit of the " art killative." 



66 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

and serous secretions are rapidly increased in the gastric 
cavity, to protect the mucous membrane from its acrid 
and irritating qualities ; much distress is experienced by 
the individual, and nausea and vomiting generally succeed, 
as an instinctive means of expelling the offending cause 
from the vital domain ; and in all cases, considerable por- 
tions of it are driven through the pyloric orifice in the 
intestines, where great irritation is also produced by it, and 
it is soon expelled from the bowels, with large quantities of 
serum secreted from the blood to dilute and flood away the 
irritating substance, and thus protect the living parts on 
which it acts, and the vital interests of the system generally, 
from its pernicious effects. When salt is taken into 
the stomach in small quantities with food, the result is 
somewhat different. If the stomach is perfectly healthy in 
all its properties and powers, however small the quan- 
tity of salt, it is immediately detected by the undepraved 
sensibilities of the organ, and a vital reaction takes place 
corresponding in energy and extensiveness with the quan- 
tity and strength of the offending substances, and by 
the mucous and serous secretions which are promptly pro- 
duced, the parts are protected, and the salt is so diluted as 
to be rendered no longer very "dangerous to the delicate 
vital properties of the tissues on which it may act. It is 
therefore not expelled from the alimentary cavity by vomit- 
ing nor purging, but is taken up in a state of solution by 
the absorbents of the stomach, and mingled with the 
blood of the portal veins ; not in any case nor degree, 
however, to supply the wants of the vital economy, but to 
be expelled from the vital domain through the kidneys, 
lungs, skin and other depurating organs of the system, as 
a foreign substance. By the long and habitual use of 
this substance, however, the organic sensibilities of the 
stomach, and of all the other parts of the system, become 
so much impaired by its qualities, that they no longer make 



PART I.] SALT. 67 

so energetic a resistance to it as when they are healthy and 
undepraved, and the salt is gradually permitted to pass 
more and more freely into the general circulation, and be 
diffused throughout the whole vital domain, pervading 
the minute vessels of the glands and other parts, and becom- 
ing so permanently a quality of the serum of the blood as 
to be regarded by many as an evidence of the necessity for 
its dietetic use." 

" The facts in regard to the dietetic use of salt, then, are 
these : — 1. Salt is wholly innutritious — it affords no nourish- 
ment to any structure or substance of the human body. 2. 
It is utterly indigestible — it enters the body as a mineral 
substance — it is absorbed unchanged as a mineral substance 
—it goes the rounds of the general circulation as an unas- 
similated mineral substance — and is finally eliminated from 
the body through the kidneys, lungs, skin, etc., as an unas- 
similated mineral substance. 3. Its acrid quality is offen- 
sive to the vital sensibilities of the organs, always causing 
vital reaction or resistance, and this vital reaction constitutes 
the only stimulation ever produced by salt, and is therefore 
always attended with a commensurate degree of irritation 
and vital expenditure, and followed by a correspondent 
degree of indirect debility and atony ; and consequently it 
always and inevitably tends to produce chronic debility, 
preternatural irritability, and disease ; the stomach, intes- 
tines, absorbents, veins, heart, arteries, and all the other 
organs of the system, are always irritated, exhausted and 
debilitated by its presence. 4. It never in any measure 
promotes digestion nor any of the assimilating functions of 
the system ; on the contrary, it always retards those 
functions, and is unfavorable to all the vital changes. 
Where a stomach has been greatly debauched and its 
energies prostrated, the sudden and entire abstraction of salt 
and all other stimulants from the food would undoubtedly 
leave that organ in a temporary state of atony or depres- 
6 



68 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

sion, which would unfit it for the performance of its 
function. But it is entirely certain that, in a stomach whose 
powers and sensibilities are unimpaired and healthy, salt 
always retards digestion and embarrasses the function and 
diminishes the functional powers of the organ ; and the 
impaired stomach receives tone from it only upon a prin- 
ciple which is always and inevitably unfriendly to its own 
physiological interests, and to those of the system in 
general. And this is all true of every other assimilating 
function and process of the vital economy ; and hence it is 
a well-ascertained truth in the science of physiology, that 
the dietetic use of salt is unfriendly to all the processes of 
assimilation, nutrition and secretion, in the vital economy. 
5. It always, in proportion to the freedom with which it is 
used, diminishes gustatory enjoyment. It is true that 
there are some substances eaten by man, whose qualities 
are such that they are rendered more tolerable by the use 
of salt than they would be without it ; but it is neverthe- 
less true that the use of salt with those substances always 
and necessarily impairs the nicely discriminating power of 
the organ of taste, and takes away the delicate perception 
of the agreeable qualities of more proper food, and thereby 
on the whole immeasurably diminishes the amount of gus- 
tatory enjoyment in the course of an ordinary life. In- 
credible as this may appear to many, every intelligent in- 
dividual may demonstrate its truth by three months' fair 
experiment." 

Now comes the query, how it came about that whole 
nations of people took to the use of salt, and continued it 
through successive ages. The reason is obvious : it was no 
doubt a necessity, after the introduction of animal foods ; 
for in order to keep these from putrefying, particularly in 
warm climates and on long journeys, an antiseptic was 
indispensable. A suitable substance for preserving meats? 
from decay, was found in common salt ; and though it sc 



PART I.] SALT. 69 

changed the nature of the meat as to render it harder to 
digest, and very much less nutritious,* still, it kept it from 
going to total destruction. Then, as the flesh-eaters partook 
of the salted meat they not only came to like it, but they 
also relished the vegetables that were cooked with it. 

To be brief, one can learn to eat and like almost anything, 
by simply continuing the use of it ; and the fact that it 
pleases the palate, is no proof either of its wholesomeness. 
or of its relative nutritive value. But if there is any one 
article of food or drink that we can not leave off, even 
for a day, without great discomfort (as wine, tea, coffee or 
a good salted beef-steak), we may rest assured that that 
article is doing us harm ; or in other words, that it is not 
simply a food, but to a greater or less degree a stimulant ; 
and just to the extent that we are enslaved by it, to thai 
extent are we already injured. 

A diet of salted meats, as almost every one knows, pro- 
duces scurvy, the disease being caused by the combined 
effects of salt and grease. Richard T. Colburn, of New 
York, who is a hygienist, has written a small work on " The 
Salt-Eating Habit," from which the following quotations 
are taken : " I am told by an Italian who has lived among 
them, that the Algerines do not eat salt"; neither do the 
Indian tribes on the Columbia River, and Puget Sound — 
among whom the writer has traveled. " I am assured by 
many of the great herders in Texas, Colorado and Califor- 
nia, that the native cattle are not fed salt, never see it, and 



* Pavy says : " The effect of a saline is"to depreciate the nutritive value 
of the article by extracting the soluble constituents, and by also hardening 
the texture, so as to render it difficult of digestion." He also says : " The 
analysis of brine shows that the process of salting must materially 
diminish the nutritive value of meat, for it is found to contain a large 
portion of the ingredients of its juice. Liebig estimates the loss of 
nutritive value as amounting to one-third, or even one-half. Soaking 
salted meat in water removes its saltness, but can not, of course, restore 
the nutritive principles that have been lost."— Food and Dietetics. 



70 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET I. 

will not eat it if offered." " I nave both horses and cows 
that do not and will not eat salt if offered to them. The 
parents, when I cut off the supply, did not suffer percepti- 
bly, and in a short time unlearned the habit. Neither the 
old ones nor their progeny will touch it now." " A hungry 
cow will eat what is called ' salted hay,' whereon the brine 
of the sea has crystallized ; but invariably the same cow will 
turn from it to good, well-cured meadow hay." "The 
whole of the birds avoid salt. It is fatal to chickens and 
tame birds, as every housewife knows." Chicken-cholera, 
this writer thinks, is caused in part by the salted food given 
the fowls from the table, wild birds not being subject to 
disorders of this kind. He further adds, "I believe it is 
well ascertained that when hogs get a moderate amount of 
brine, or pickled salt meat, it is impossible to save them." 
Mr. Colburn is firmly of the belief that the use of salt is a 
prolific cause of impaired digestion, owing to the unnatural 
flow of saliva and other digestive fluids which it stimulates. 
He also thinks that by causing indigestion, it to some extent 
injures the teeth. 

All hygienists who have totally abstained from the use 
of salt, even for a few months, lose their relish for it, and 
after a time it becomes positively distasteful. And to illus- 
trate the force of habit — even in leaving it off — it is a 
matter of common observation that unsalted foods which 
only come to the table occasionally, are less relished than those 
that are eaten daily. Another experience, which every one 
has to find out for himself, is this : salt when taken by any one 
not accustomed to its use, invariably creates thirst ; and 
where there has been chronic inflammation in any part of 
the alimentary canal, and it has disappeared, owing to strict 
hygienic living, salt food, used even for a short time, gener- 
ally causes its reappearance. 



part i.] pepper and other condiments. 71 

Pepper and other Condiments. 

Pepper is not, like salt, a mineral substance : it is a vege- 
table poison. Flies will not touch it, neither will they eat 
salt. Black pepper, if taken on an empty stomach in the 
moderate quantity of a teaspoonful, will either be promptly 
ejected, or it will cause great disturbance in the stomach 
and bowels, and also in the heart's action after it enters the 
circulation. It is in no sense a food, but in every sense a 
stimulant, which is but another name for a substance non- 
usable by the vital organs, and therefore to be thrown out 
of the vital domain. Eed or black pepper is a prolific 
cause, as are all stimulants, of enlargement of the blood- 
vessels, and ultimately of disease of the heart. Its imme- 
diate effect upon the tongue, throat, stomach and bowels is 
to create increased action, not only of the capillaries, caus- 
ing temporary congestion and even inflammation of the 
mucous surfaces, but also of the organs which secrete the 
digestive fluids. Its ultimate effect is to weaken and deaden 
these organs, by repeated stimulation to abnormal action ; 
it also impairs or destroys the nerves of taste in the mouth, 
together with the gastric or other nerves which aid in the 
process of digestion. When these are weakened by stimu- 
lants, the functions themselves are necessarily impaired ; 
and confirmed dyspepsia, with its attendant train of bad 
symptoms, brings up the rear. 

It is needless to say, that ginger, spices, nutmeg, cinna- 
mon, and all that class of condiments, however much they 
may vary in quality, are stimulating to a greater or less de- 
gree, and must be put into the list of "things forbidden," 
in the hygienic dietary. The habit, every year increasing, 
of using spices and condiments in almost every article of 
food, and in such large quantities, can not be too severely 
condemned. The end must be hopeless indigestion, with 
prostration of the nerves which supply the digestive organs, 



72 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. L PART *• 

and detriment or ruin to the entire system. In the language 
of Sylvester Graham, " The stern truth is, that no purely 
stimulating substance of any kind can be habitually used 
by man, without injury to the whole nature." Nor does Dr. 
Graham stand alone in his views on this subject. Pereira 
says : " The relish for flavoring or seasoning ingredients 
manifested by almost every person, would lead us to suppose 
that these substances serve some useful purpose beyond 
that of merely gratifying the palate. At present, however, 
we have no evidence that they do. They stimulate, but do 
not seem to nourish. The volatile oil they contain is ab- 
sorbed, and then thrown out of the system, still possessing 
its characteristic odor." Dr. Beaumont is essentially of the 
same opinion. He remarks : "Condiments, particularly 
those of a spicy kind, are non-essential to the process of 
digestion in a healthy state of the system. They afford no 
nutrition. Though they may assist the action of a debili- 
tated stomach for a time, their continual use never fails to 
produce an indirect debility of that organ. They affect it 
as alcohol and other stimulants do — the present relief af- 
forded, is at the expense of future suffering." 

In doing away with spices and condiments, we must also 
dispense with pickles ; there is nothing in a pickle to redeem 
it from hopeless condemnation. The spices in it are bad, 
the vinegar is a seething mass of rottenness, full of animal- 
cule, and the poor little innocent cucumber, or other vege- 
table, if it had very little "character" in the beginning, 
must now fall into the ranks of the " totally depraved." 

Drinking at Meals. 

Among the other " odd things " that hygienists believe in, 
is to abstain from drinking at meals. In the first place, we 
do not see any necessity for it ; if the horse or ox can 
eat dry grain without stopping between mouthf uls to take a 






PART I.] DRINKING AT MEALS. 73 

sip of water, why should not we manage to swallow our 
foods, which are much more moist, without resorting to the 
" washing-down " process ? 

Like the habit of taking only soft foods, that of drinking 
at meals is exceedingly detrimental to good digestion. 
The evils it brings are manifold. In the first place, it in- 
clines one to taking too large mouthfuls, and this, added to the 
fluid poured down with the food, interferes with thorough 
mastication. " Food well chewed is half digested." But 
suppose we " bolt " it in ten to fifteen minutes, as is the 
usual custom : instead of its being divided as finely as 
possible, and time given for the flow of the saliva whose 
office it is to dissolve the nutrient particles, and otherwise 
prepare them for the next stage in the process of digestion, 
the food enters the stomach, not only in a crude state 
mechanically, but without undergoing that first step in the 
vitalizing process which is ultimately to transform it into a 
constituent part of the blood. 

If the ill effects stopped here, it would not be so bad ; 
but they do not. The moment the gastric juices begin to 
fiow from the follicles in the stomach, they are met, not by 
the smooth pulp of finely masticated and insalivated food, 
but by a crude, half-ground sort of " fodder," wet up with 
a slush of hot coffee, strong tea, greasy cocoa, ice-water, or 
some other liquid, each as foreign in its nature to that 
vitalizing solvent which the stomach itself prepares, as it is 
possible to conceive. And if the drink taken is very cold, 
it will check or prevent the flow of both the gastric and the 
salivary juices, and thus cripple digestion at every stage, 
from the lack of vitalized material to carry on that process. 
If hot drinks are indulged in, the opposite effect follows, 
viz., an over-stimulation, and therefore exhaustion of the 
glands and follicles that secrete the digestive fluids. 

The next injury sustained is in the duodenum and small 
intestine ; the food, or that part of it which reaches these, 



74 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

is not in a condition to be properly acted on by the intes- 
tinal juices. The consequences are, first, that the digestive 
function in this part of the alimentary canal is overtaxed ; 
in other words, the chyme can not be made into chyle with- 
out an extra drain upon the digestive supplies in that 
quarter. Second, that the chyle formation is not as finely 
elaborated and vitalized as it would have been had the 
mouth and stomach digestion been complete. Third, that 
the chyle is too crude in quality to be fully absorbed by the 
lacteals, and carried into the blood. 

Now, if the mastication of the food has been imperfect, 
the formation of chyme interfered with, and the chyle not 
of the best quality, what shall we say of the residual matters 
in the large intestine ? If the elaborated material has fallen 
below the normal standard, the residue will most assuredly 
be in anything but the proper condition. If there were 
crude qualities in the chyme and chyle, there is crudeness 
intensified here ; the half-digested foods which could not 
undergo absorption in the small intestine are carried along 
the alimentary canal, and there is not a sufficient quantity 
of intestinal juices to moisten the mass properly. Instead 
of the normal condition of plastic matter, there is " chaff 
and water," so to speak, the latter being absorbed in the 
intestinal canal. Then comes irritation of the mucous sur- 
faces, engendering heat (feverishness), and all those dis- 
agreeable symptoms which betray the presence of undigested 
matter. In other words, we have constipation, which is one 
of the forms of indigestion. 

A result somewhat similar follows, when too much food 
has been eaten ; instead of being vitalized and appro- 
priated, it rots or decomposes in the alimentary canal, and 
gases are given off. 

But by far the greatest detriment of all is in the bad 
blood that follows imperfect digestion. If the chyle is 
not properly elaborated, every tissue in the body must 



PAET I.] TEA, COFFEE, ETC. 75 

suffer for lack of the regular supplies of nutrition. The 
muscles shrivel up, the brain is not furnished with good 
pure blood, and the latter itself becomes thick and turbid, 
or poor and impoverished. In short, the whole being 
suffers from top to toe ; and owing to disuse, the very teeth 
become covered with scurvy, and decay or fall out. 

Let us then masticate our food properly, and abandon 
the pernicious habit of washing it down ; it will take a little 
longer time, but we shall save it all back again from sick 
beds, headaches, and bad feelings generally. We shall also 
have better bodies, and clearer brains with which to work. 

Tea, Coffee, etc. 

Not believing in any drink at meals, it is hardly to be 
supposed that hygienists could recommend tea or coffee. 
If, as some think, a fluid " must be taken " with the food, 
the best is water or gruel, at about blood heat ; a drink 
warmer or colder than this, habitually indulged in, leads 
to evil consequences, as already shown. 

Tea and coffee are injurious, not merely because they 
are taken at meal-time, but because they are stimulating, 
and in fact, poisonous. The water in which unparched 
coffee is steeped is of a greenish color, and will kill flies ; 
nor does the parching of the bean remove all its noxious 
qualities. To test this matter, try making coffee two or 
three times the usual strength ; then drink a pint of it on an 
empty stomach, eating nothing after it, and note the results. 
You will do well to try the experiment on some one accus- 
tomed to its use, or you might have to order the undertaker. 

The question is often asked, " Which is the more in- 
jurious, tea or coffee ? " — to which the answer may well be 
given, " Both ! " The late E. T. Trail, M.D., makes the 
following statement : i ' Tea possesses strong nervine and 
moderate narcotic properties, and considerable astringency, 
due to the presence of tannin." And Prof. 0. A. Lee, New 



76 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

York, remarks, " A very strong decoction of green tea, or 
the extract, speedily destroys life in the inferior animals, 
even when given in very small doses." Of coffee, Dr. Trail, 
after speaking of its nervine and narcotic qualities, 
says : " From all the testimony I can gather from medical 
and dietetical writers, coupled with some degree of per- 
sonal observation, I should judge it to be more directly 
injurious to the digestive process, and more exhausting to 
the general nervous energy than tea, and less injurious to 
the kidneys and pelvic viscera." 

To the unperverted palate, coffee has a bitter, unpleas- 
ant taste. " Not so," says the reader ; " I relished it from 
the time I was a babe." Quite likely ; and in all proba- 
bility you nursed it in with your mother's milk. Besides, 
very young babes will swallow from instinct almost any- 
thing that is given them, even to castor oil. 

If any one really wishes to find out whether tea and 
coffee are doing him an injury, let him totally abstain from 
both for a few months ; then let him take a good strong 
cup or two of either beverage, and retire for the night. If 
he does not He awake part or all of that night, he will have 
better nerves than a good many others who have tried the 
experiment, and tossed on sleepless pillows till morning. 
What a blessing it is that " strong " toast-water, oat meal 
gruel, or fruit juice, even when taken by one wholly unused 
to it, has no such unpleasant effect ! 

One can often tell a tea-toper at sight, particularly if the 
stimulant has so far done its work as to affect the general 
health ; the individual has frequently a shrunken, shriveled 
appearance that is unmistakable. And the tobacco-using 
habit, even in a young man, is sometimes detected by 
simply shaking hands with him. After the nerves are par- 
tially shattered there is no longer the firm grasp, but an 
unsteady motion, a half tremor in the hand, not unlike the 
shaking gait of a dog that has had a slight under-dose of 



PAKT I.] TEA, COFFEE, ETC. 77 

strychnine — enough, not to kill him, but to affect the 
muscles permanently, and produce something like " shaking- 
palsy." Poor creature ! one always wants to end his misery 
as soon as possible — not the young man's, but the dog's. 

" But how," it is asked, " are we to replace the waste 
fluids of the system, if we do not drink at meals ? When 
nearly three-fourths of the human body is water, how is 
this to be supplied ? " The question is not hard to answer. 
In the first place, nature has provided an abundance of 
juicy fruits and vegetables, some of them having, as shown 
by analysis, as high as 80 to 90 per cent, water ; and it is 
our own fault if we do not furnish our tables with these 
products. People are apt to forget that their bodies are 
nourished by the organized fluids in fruits and vegetables, 
as well as by the more solid materials. Some writers, as 
Schlickeysen, have placed fruit before bread, as an article 
of diet. The solid constituents of food, it is true, are found 
chiefly in the grains ; but the fluids, which make so large a 
per cent, of the body, are more abundantly supplied from 
the juicy fruits. 

As to drinking " for the love of it," it is a fact worthy of 
note that if we live on fruits, grains and vegetables, reject- 
ing animal foods and the various seasonings, as sugar, salt, 
pepper, spices, etc., we shall care very little for drinking, 
even between meals. It is the presence of stimulants in 
ordinary foods, that creates thirst ; do away with these, and 
the thirst is gone. As if it were not possible in the very 
nature of things, to eat a meal without something to drink, 
the question is frequently asked, "How would chocolate 
do?" — quite forgetting that no one would care for choco- 
late, if it were not for the quantities of milk and sugar that 
are used in it as seasonings. Moreover, it is prepared from 
the oily seeds of the Theobroma Cacao, and is, therefore, a 
greasy substance, not at all fit to moisten the food prepara- 
tory to its being received into the stomach. 



78 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

After what has already been said in regard to stimulants 
and stimulating drinks, it is hardly necessary to add, that 
the whole family of alcoholic beverages, even to the " lighter 
drinks," can find no favor with hygienists. They are all 
detrimental. Beer, for example, contains by volume, 5 to 8 
per cent, of alcohol, sometimes a little more than this, and 
sometimes a little less. " Adopting mean numbers, a pint 
(20 ounces) of beer will contain about an ounce of alcohol 
(Parkes.)" * Wine usually has 18 to 22 per cent. ; sometimes 
as high as 30 per cent. The habitual use of beer inclines 
to a plethoric habit, and the formation of loose, flabby 
tissue, with very little muscle. Moreover, the supposed 
good effect of all stimulating drinks, comes from the rally- 
ing of the system to get rid of the alcohol, which is a poison, 
an anti-vital or life-destroying substance. After the excite- 
ment or stimulation is over, there is a corresponding de- 
pression of the system, showing that vital force has been 
expended in the effort made to expel the offending thing. 
The stronger the beverage taken, or in other words, the 
larger per cent, of alcohol in it, the more marked will 
be the effects. 

It is sometimes asked, whether new cider is injurious as 
a beverage ; to which it must be replied, that the adjective 
" new " is rather indefinite. Hight from the press, the juice 
is almost as bland and unstimulating out of the apple, as in 
it ; but in a few hours there is a " smack " to it, and a 
foam, that tell of something stronger. Many a poor fellow 
has again been led into the downward path, simply by a 
drink of cider. The safe way, is to take the juice and the 
flesh of the fruit together. Any drink that contains even a 
small per cent, of alcohol, injures the blood ; it affects the 
red corpuscles, causing them to part with a portion of their 
water. When a large quantity of alcohol is present, these 



* Pa\y's "Food and Dietetics," page 364. 



PART I.J FOOD, INTELLECT AND MORALS. 79 

corpuscles shrivel up into corrugated discs, and often 
adhere together, creating obstruction in the blood-vessels, 
and to a certain extent cutting off the nutritive supplies 
from those parts through which these vessels ramify. It 
also affects the fibrin of the blood, causing it to coagulate 
or form into clots, and in some instances producing 
paralysis, or even death. 

Food, Intellect and Morals. 

That the character of the food we eat bears a very close 
relation to the quality of tissues made from it, is a fact 
which has been frequently stated in these chapters ; it 
seems indeed to be fairly well understood, that in order to 
develop strong, firmly-knit muscles, the food eaten must not 
only be simple, but sparing. But that the dietetic habits of 
a people have anything to do with their intellectual and 
moral powers, is a very important fact which we seem con- 
tinually to lose sight of. It can not be denied, however, 
that the history of the human race, from the earliest to the 
latest times, furnishes the best of evidence on this point ; 
and the relation holds, not merely with respect to indi- 
viduals, but to nations. Following out the history of the 
latter, we find them in the zenith of their power at a time 
when for successive generations the habits of the people, 
dietetic and otherwise, had been simple and healthful. On 
the other hand, the decline and downfall of these nations 
came not until after they had departed from their plain and 
f rugal ways. 

And were we to trace the career of individuals eminent 
for learning or power, we should find a like correspondence 
to exist ; men as well as nations reach the acme of their 
strength, intellectually and morally, before their minds are 
clouded, and their bodies plethoric by full feeding and 
other voluptuous habits. Those who are born in the lap of 
luxury rarely attain to any considerable prominence, either 



80 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

as thinkers or workers. It is also well known that the 
greatest philosophers, and the most profound scholars, both 
in ancient and modern times, have been men of temperate 
and abstemious habits. 

In the light of history, therefore, there is but one conclu- 
sion to be drawn in the matter ; viz., that in order to make 
the best use of our minds, or to develop them to their 
greatest capacity, the food we eat must be proper in quality 
and moderate in quantity. Indeed, how could it be other- 
wise, when we consider that the brain, which is the organ 
of the mind, is constantly supplied with blood for its special 
growth and nourishment, and that this blood is made out of 
the things eaten ? If, therefore, the quality of the food is 
bad, or if any substance deleterious to the vital organism is 
taken with it, the brain will immediately suffer ; and when 
this organ is not in its normal condition, how can we expect 
it to do good work? In other words, bad food, or too 
much of it, makes bad blood ; bad blood causes a disordered 
brain ; and a disordered brain can not do first-class think- 
ing. 

The ill effects of stimulants in food, are manifold ; they 
send an increased quantity of blood to the base of the brain, 
causing congestion of the cerebellum. This congestion 
creates excitement or preternatural action of the animal 
propensities, inducing in the individual a desire to fight, 
commit murder, and do all sorts of immoral or unlawful 
things. But the evil does not stop here ; the habitual tak- 
ing of stimulating substances, even in limited quantity, 
causes an increased growth of those organs that are located 
in the base of the brain ; and this, with the greater activity 
that necessarily follows, leads to intense passional emotions, 
and excesses of every description. So that murder, theft, 
and all manner of evil doings, are the legitimate results of 
the introduction into a community of stimulating foods and 
drinks. 



?ART I.J FOOD, INTELLECT AND MORALS. 81 

" But," says one, " why speak of these things in a cook- 
book ? The temperance hall is the place to discourse upon 
the eyils of alcohol." To this query there are two answers ; 
in the first place, it is a lamentable fact, that King Alcohol 
does not confine himself to the highways in society. He 
appears in private circles, takes a seat at the domestic 
hearth, and makes himself welcome at table. His fingers 
have " touched " the delicate puddings, the rich pastries, or 
other fine desserts ; he comes with the wines, the pale 
sherries, and brandies, that are used in preparing these 
dishes. He is in the houses of the rich, and the hovels of 
the poor ; he goes to the gay feasts, and he comes home to 
the midnight embers, burning low on the hearth-stone. He 
makes his way to the churches, and appears at the sacra- 
mental board ; and the reformed inebriate is reminded, at 
one and the same time, both of the love of Christ, and of 
former debauches ! 

But this is not the whole of the matter ; when King 
Alcohol comes to our firesides, and sits down at our tables, 
he is met by a multitude of his own "blood relations"; 
some near of kin, some more distant. And the peculiarity 
of this numerous household is, that if you entertain a single 
one of them, that individual never stops till he brings all 
the others with him. 

Figures aside, however, the plain facts are these : if one 
is in the habit of using tobacco, tea and coffee can not be 
dispensed with ; and if either of these beverages forms 
part of the morning repast, a " good rich beef -steak " is the 
next thing in order. Moreover, if steak and other meats 
come to the table, salt and pepper are expected to come 
also ; and the other contents of the castor usually gain an 
easy admittance. Then are introduced the spicy pickles, 
pungent sauces, and other condiments that set the blood on 
fire, and inflame the passions. 

Yerilv, the wives and mothers of this country, are them- 



82 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET I. 

selves responsible for much of the ruin wrought in their 
own households. Had their tables been plain and simple, 
these things had not been. Is it any wonder that crime and 
bloodshed stalk rampant through the land ? That licentious- 
ness lurks in the by-paths? That women take to morphine 
or the mad-house, and men blow their brains out ? That 
homicides multiply with amazing rapidity, and theft and 
other crimes are frequent in high places ? These outrages 
on common decency and the whole community, are not com- 
mitted by the plain, temperate members of society, who sit 
down three times a day to unstimulating food, go to their 
work regularly in the daytime, and retire to rest at night- 
fall. Could the private histories of the lawless ones be 
written, we should find the "little foxes" that spoil the 
tender vines. 

Rev. J a F. Clymer, whose admirable little work on " Food 
and Morals " has already been alluded to in this book, gives 
a forcible illustration of the effect which diet has on char- 
acter, even in childhood. " A father, by prayer and precept, 
and flogging, had done his best to reform his boy, whose 
staple diet was meat and sausage and pie and cake at his 
meals, with lunch between. The family physician said to 
the father, c If you will put a leech back of each of your 
boy's ears once a week for a month, you will do more to re- 
form him than your preaching and pounding will do in a 
year.' The father asked for the philosophy of this pre- 
scription. ' Why,' said the doctor, ' your boy has bad blood, 
and too much of it ; he must behave badly, or he would 
burst.' 'Then,' said his father, 'I'll change his diet from 
beef and pie to hominy and milk.' In three months there- 
after, a better boy of his age could not be found in the 
neighborhood. The acrid, biting, evil blood had not become 
food for leeches, but it had done its wicked work and passed 
away ; and a cooler, blander, purer, safer blood had been 
supplied from sweeter, gentler food sources." 



PART I.J FOOD, INTELLECT AND MORALS. 83 

The trouble in this country is, that the fathers and mothers 
do not begin right ; they demoralize their children from 
the very start, by giving them . at table and elsewhere their 
own way in everything. In fact, the child orders and the 
mother serves. The women in the old country set us a 
good example in this respect ; in England and Scotland no 
mother would think of seating her little child at the table 
with grown people, and giving it any and everything that 
was before it. She places it at the child's table in the 
nursery, and gives it plain bread and milk or mush and 
milk. Not so in America ; here the mother asks her little 
one what it will have, instead of giving it what she thinks it 
needs. Truly, we are a fast people ; and unless we change our 
habits we shall run a fearful career, brilliant but brief, dash- 
ing but dissolute, and ending at last in imbecility or infamy. 

The physicians of the hygienic school, claim to have 
demonstrated two facts : first, that intemperance (unless 
inherited) rarely if ever begins until there has been the 
habitual use of condiments and the lighter stimulants, 
either in the food or drink. Second, that when the habit of 
taking strong drink is established, the safest, surest way to 
reform, is at once to abandon all stimulus in the dietary, at 
the same time that the drinking is discontinued. Many in- 
ebriates have been reclaimed in this way, and in a compara- 
tively short space of time ; nor is there in these cases the 
slightest desire to resume the drinking habit, so long as the 
other stimulants are not indulged in. In other words, by 
living correctly, you conquer the evil habit. 

But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 
Can not the mothers act on this hint, and see to it that their 
sons (and daughters) are reared in such a way that vice will 
be no temptation to them? Solomon — who must have 
known from experience — said : " Train up a child in the 
way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart 
from it." 
7 



84 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

Women in this country do too much cooking ; they prepare 
too many kinds of food for a single meal ; they literally 
load down their tables with an endless variety of dishes, 
showing a lack of good taste, as well as good judgment. 
A few dishes, well prepared, would be altogether better. 
And the practice of high seasoning, not only in dessert 
dishes, but in the plainer or more substantial ones, as vege- 
tables, meats, meat preparations, etc., is most deplorable. 
These highly seasoned foods poison the blood, congest the 
liver, and inflame the mucous surfaces ; and if long con- 
tinued they prostrate the nervous system and ruin the gen- 
eral health. " That machine will wear out the soonest which 
works the fastest." Strong constitutions, it is true, may 
not give way for years ; but sooner or later they too must 
succumb. 

Food Combinations, etc. 

Most hygienists recognize the fact that too great a variety 
of foods eaten at a single meal, is not favorable to the best 
digestion ; partly because it tempts the appetite to over- 
indulgence, and partly from too great a stimulation of the 
nerves of digestion, by the oft-repeated presentation of a 
new substance for them to act upon. But very few pay 
much attention to the proper combination of foods, provided 
they be considered hygienic. Neglect of this important 
feature in dietetic reform has turned many away from it 
in disgust ; and it has kept not a few of those outside from 
becoming hygienists. 

It is folly to overlook the fact that there is a certain fitness 
or adaptation to be observed, both in the selection and 
classification of foods, which enhances their value as a 
whole ; it will not do to huddle them together indiscrimi- 
nately, either on one's plate or in the stomach. Baked beans 
and grape juice are both very satisfactory, in themselves ; 
but they have so little in common that no one would think 



PART I.] FOOD COMBINATIONS, ETC. 85 

of eating them together ; though the harm resulting from 
so injudicious a combination, would be more apparent in 
some cases than in others. 

Not every one has a cast-iron stomach ; and experience 
teaches that an individual whose digestive organs have be- 
come enfeebled from taking drugs (poisons), or from the 
long use of stimulating foods and drinks, has need to be 
particularly careful in the matter of diet. Suppose he is 
trying his first " hygienic dinner " ; if he chances to partake 
of two or more substances so unlike in their nature and 
organization, that they do not "go well" together, in less 
than an hour's time the stomach and bowels will be filled with 
gases and undigested food ; while the " pangs of hunger," 
so called, will not have diminished in the least. In other 
words, digestion has not gone on properly ; and a certain 
morbid craving, which is next to ungovernable, has set up 
its clamor for something that can " satisfy." And though 
these feelings are the legitimate results of long-continued 
dissipation in eating — or of some other violation of law — that 
fact does not make it any easier to bear the discomfort. 
More than once has a patient taken his first meal at a 
"Cure," and risen from the table with the firm conviction 
that that diet will not do for him /when a little care (or 
knowledge) on the part of the managers, in the matter 
of combining foods, and a little previous explanation as 
to the unsatisfied feeling that necessarily follows the leaving 
off of all stimulating substances, would have induced the 
new-comer to make a more thorough test of the better 
way. 

The early Grahamites made many serious blunders in 
their first efforts at dietetic reform ; they ate, for instance, 
their " bran-bread," which was a wretched food, manufac- 
tured out of dirty wheat coarsely ground, or from a mixt- 
ure of poor white flour and common coarse bran, making 
an article better suited for horse-feed than for human stom- 



86 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT I. 

achs. Of course, there was no sweetness in it ; the pearling 
or cleaning process, which the Akron people understand so 
well, was not then applied to the manufacture of Graham 
flour ; and the bran was so coarse and irritating that the 
" Graham bread,' 3 as it was called, made more dyspep- 
tics than it cured. The consequence was that those who 
ate it were a by- word and a reproach ; and all succeeding 
dietetic reformers have been forcibly reminded of their 
folly, by the keen thrusts of a scrutinizing public — which 
always looks after these matters. 

Nearly half a century of close contact with invalids, has 
placed before the hygienic physician certain facts which can 
not be ignored ; and whether the science behind them is 
fully understood or not, the facts themselves remain. For 
example, if we have a nervous dyspeptic to treat, we know 
better than to set before him, at one and the same meal, 
strawberries and beets ; or strawberries and cabbage ; or 
apples (raw or cooked) and sweet potatoes ; or apples and 
beans. These are only examples of at least fifty combina- 
tions that could be made, any one of which would give a 
weak stomach indigestion. The question then comes, 
whether it is not possible to lay down some general rules, 
which shall apply, in a certain sense, to all cases ; whether, 
indeed, the vanguard of the " hygienic brigade " has not at 
last reached that point in the reform. 

It certainly stands to reason that the food products of 
the earth should be studied in their relations to each other, 
as well as with respect to their nutritive qualities. In the 
first place, the commissariat, as a whole, should have in it 
all that is needed for the fullest growth and development 
of the body ; and there should, if possible, be a sufficient 
variety to allow of more or less change in the bill of fare 
from one meal to another, and from day to day. One tires 
of the same thing, or exactly the same routine, over and 
over ; and all the more if there is any defect in the food 



PART I. ] FOOD COMBINATIONS, ETC. 87 

itself, either as regards its quality in growth and maturity, 
or its actual nutritive value. 

Moreover, the wants of the system are not always exactly 
the same ; they may vary somewhat, owing to diseased con- 
ditions or torpor of functional action, so that there will be 
an actual need, if not a positive longing, for certain kinds of 
food that are necessary to restore normal action to the 
system. For instance, a person who has taken " quantities " 
of certain medicines, the effect of which is to congest or 
torpify the liver and other organs of depuration, is apt to 
have an intense craving for acids. Another, who has been 
fed for weeks on a diet that contains too little nutrient 
material, will call for something that has a larger per cent, 
of solid matter in it : as bread, beans or peas, rather than 
cabbage, turnips, soups, or other watery substances. 

Many a person has risen from the table feeling dissatis- 
fied, actually hungry, after eating in quantity a full meal. 
In such cases, either the articles eaten have not been di- 
gested, or they were of such a character that they did not 
supply the natural waste of the system. One who has 
made this matter a careful study, can very nearly tell at a 
glance whether the food on the table is such as will give 
general satisfaction to persons with reasonably normal 
appetites, — though, as just now stated, there are individ- 
uals whose appetites are anything but normal. For 
example, the tea-toper or coffee-drinker suffers from head- 
ache after trying to make a breakfast without the accus- 
tomed beverage. Or the lover of beef-steak rises from his 
morning meal from which the favorite dish is absent, feel- 
ing that he has had no breakfast. The sense of all-goneness 
in these cases is not from a lack of nutrient material, but 
owing to the absence of the habitual stimulus. 

In selecting foods for the table, one must take into con- 
sideration both the habits of the individuals who are to be 
fed, and the ever-varying climatic conditions. Persons of 



88 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

sedentary habits would be satisfied at a given meal with a 
few plain articles, and these largely of fruits ; whereas, a 
laborer would require a larger proportion of more nutri- 
tious foods, as Graham bread, beans, or some of the grain 
preparations, with less juicy or watery materials. If, how- 
ever, the weather is warm, inducing profuse perspiration, 
the more juicy fruits and vegetables are in special demand. 
But a combination of dishes that would be delightful in the 
sultry days of July or August, would be altogether insuffi- 
cient to satisfy the appetite on a cold December day, or a 
keen frosty morning. And when the weather is not only 
cold, but damp, the food is always best relished if it is 
warm. Often a good plate of warm soup (not hot), to be 
followed by corn-bread and baked potatoes, and perhaps 
another warm vegetable, is very acceptable on damp, cold 
days, when there is a raw atmosphere, chilling one all 
through. 

To be brief, the cook should use her rare good sense in 
these matters ; she should consider the character of the 
eaters, whether they are sick or well ; accustomed to active 
outdoor exercise, as farmers, or to sedentary habits, as 
students, book-keepers, etc. She should also vary the 
quality of the food, not only to suit the weather, but the 
season of the year. In May or June, when the markets are 
full of strawberries and other fruits, with plenty of fresh 
garden stuff, the " boarders " will hardly be content six 
days in the week with dried apples and prunes for fruit, 
and old potatoes with last year's beans, for vegetables ; they 
will be thinking of the green peas, asparagus and new pota- 
toes, that they saw in the city market ; and the loads of 
fresh berries, cherries, etc., that looked so inviting. 

Last, but not least, she must study the individuality of 
the various food products ; for, as already remarked, cer- 
tain kinds are so unlike — not to say antagonistic in char- 
acter, that they seem not to digest well together ; or as we 



PART I.] FOOD COMBINATIONS, ETC. 89 

sometimes say, they quarrel with each other. For while 
it may be true that thoroughly sound stomachs can digest 
almost anything, and feel no unpleasant sensations from all 
sorts of heterogeneous combinations, it is not true that in- 
valids, or persons of feeble digestion, can do likewise. 

After more than twenty years' experience and careful ob- 
servation, the writer is fully convinced that in order to get 
the best possible results from nutrient materials, we must not 
ignore those kindred ties among food products which make 
an agreeable combination ; nor must we be oblivious to 
those opposite qualities in them, which by fine contrast 
please equally well. Take, for example, sweet potatoes and 
tomatoes ; these make a good combination, and very ac- 
ceptable to most persons, the one being sweet, the other 
acid ; the one highly nutritious, and the other decidedly 
juicy. 

To those who have not made this subject a study, the 
following hints may be of practical use ; though in many 
things it is next to impossible to lay down definite rules : 

1. Fruits and vegetables should not, as a rule, be eaten 
together ; that is, at the same meal ; if they are so eaten, 
persons with feeble digestive organs will usually suffer. 

2. If vegetables are eaten, the noonday meal is the best 
time to take them, two or three varieties being quite suffi- 
cient. Tomatoes do well with vegetables, grains or meats ; 
but they should not, as a rule, be eaten with fruits. 

3. The Irish potato seems to be an exception among 
vegetables ; it is so unaggressive in its nature that it seldom 
quarrels with anything. It may therefore be eaten (by 
most persons) with either fruits or vegetables ; and it always 
does well with grains. 

4. Fruits and cereals are particularly suited to the morn- 
ing and evening meals ; and very little other food is re- 
quired. 

5. A good rule, when suppers are eaten, is to make the 



90 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

meal of bread and fruit only, these being taken in limited 
quantities, and at an early hour. 

6. Fruits, if eaten raw, should be ripe, and of good 
quality ; and persons with feeble stomachs digest them 
more easily at the beginning of the meal ; this is particu- 
larly true when warm foods make a part of the repast. 

7. Fruits raw or cooked, may be eaten at dinner, provided 
no vegetable (unless it be the potato) is taken. But if raw, 
they should be eaten first, particularly if there are warm 
foods to follow. 

8. Some persons can not digest certain kinds of raw 
fruits for supper, or late in the day ; let them take these on 
sitting down to the breakfast table ; or the first thing at 
dinner, unless there are vegetables at this meal. 

9. If meats are eaten — a debatable question between 
strict hygienists and " other people " — take them at the 
noonday meal, with or without vegetables ; and in cold 
weather, rather than warm. 

10. The grains digest well with all other foods ; though 
some persons can not eat them in the form of mushes. 
They should always be thoroughly cooked. 

11. Persons with feeble digestion, should as a rule, con- 
fine themselves to a single kind of fruit at a meal ; they can 
make the changes from one meal to another. 

12. Those who find it difficult to digest vegetables, should 
not attempt more than one kind at a given meal, until the 
digestion is improved. And often it is best to leave them 
off entirely for a time. 

13. In selecting vegetables for a single meal, do not, if 
there are several varieties, have all of them of the watery or 
juicy kinds, as cabbage, asparagus, white turnips, etc.; nor 
all of the drier sorts, as baked beans, winter squashes, sweet 
potatoes, etc. ; but blend the more and less nutritious kinds 
in a judicious manner. Or if you have only the watery 
ones at hand, be content with not more than two varieties, 



PART I. | FOOD COMBINATIONS, ETC. 91 

prepare a side-dish of something rather nutritious, and then 
add a dish of warm corn bread, as an accompaniment, par- 
ticularly if it be a cold day. 

14. If you have for dinner a thin vegetable soup, follow 
with something more substantial, as baked beans, baked 
potatoes (sweet or Irish), or corn bread ; but if you have 
bean or split-pea soup, let the other vegetables be of a kind 
less hearty. 

15. On a very cold day, have a warm dinner of good 
nutritious articles ; select mainly solid foods with grains, 
rather than thin soups and watery vegetables. 

16. On a warm day make the breakfast largely of fruits, 
with a moderate supply of cereals. The dinner may be of 
young vegetables (or fruits), a dish of grains if you like, and 
a little bread. Eat lightly, and you will surfer less from heat 
— particularly if no seasonings are taken. For supper, a 
glass of cold grape juice and a slice of loaf bread, is fine in 
hot weather. 

17. In very cold weather, take the chill off your stewed 
fruit, fruit pies or other dishes, before serving them. Pas- 
tries if used, are best at the midday meal — and so are 
puddings. 

18. If there are invalids at the table, they should eat 
nothing that is very cold ; food not much below blood heat 
is best, particularly in cold weather ; and the dining-room 
should be comfortably warm. 

19. Never have too great a variety at a single meal ; have 
few dishes, well prepared, and make the changes from one 
meal to another ; this will please better on the whole, and 
it will not too rapidly exhaust your limited supplies. 

20. If one meal happens to fall a little below the average 
in either quality or variety, see that the next is fully up to 
the mark. 



92 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT I. 

Two Meals oe Theee. 

The question is frequently asked, whether it is better to 
take two meals or three during the day. This would depend 
very much upon the habits of the individual, and somewhat 
upon the healthful conditions of the stomach. Some per- 
sons can digest three meals perfectly, while others find it 
hard to manage two comfortably. If the third meal, light 
in quantity and simple in quality, and taken at an early 
hour, causes distress, then it would be well to try leaving it 
off. Sometimes a longer rest will enable the stomach to do 
better work. 

Persons of sedentary habits combined with indoor life, 
usually find two meals sufficient, provided these can be 
arranged at proper hours. When two meals are taken, the 
breakfast should be served about eight o'clock, and the 
dinner at two ; this gives six hours between, and the after- 
noon not so long as to cause hunger. It will be found, 
however, that a great deal depends upon previous dietetic 
habits. Most persons who have been long accustomed to 
either two or three meals, prefer not to make a change : the 
old way is more satisfactory. 

In ordinary cases, it probably makes very little difference 
whether two meals or three are taken, provided no discom- 
fort is experienced ; usually where the digestion is fair, and 
the habits of the individual active, three are preferred. 
The third or last meal should be much lighter in quantity 
than the others, very simple in quality, and taken not 
later than six o'clock. This leaves three hours till bed- 
time, putting the latter at about nine o'clock, or half -past 
nine ; long enough for all the food to pass out of the 
stomach, and leave that organ in a restful state, ready for 
the night's repose. If the digestive organs are not strong- 
enough to accomplish this much easily, then it is plain that 
the third meal should be left off. 



PAKT I. I DIETETIC RULES. 



Dietetic Rules. 



93 



Eat slowly, masticating your food thoroughly before 
swallowing it. The first process of digestion — called insali- 
vation — takes place in the mouth. 

Never eat when you are mentally excited, or physically 
exhausted ; if you are very tired, He down and rest half an 
hour before going to the table. Neglect of this rule has 
caused many a fit of indigestion. 

Do not take vigorous exercise, either physical or mental, 
immediately after eating. Light exercise, as clearing up 
the table, washing dishes, or walking about the house or 
garden, facilitates digestion ; but heroic exertion, as run- 
ning, pulling, lifting, washing or wringing clothes, etc., 
retards it. 

A bath should never be taken directly after eating, and 
particularly after a very hearty meal. A good rule is not to 
bathe for half an hour before, and for two hours after 
eating. 

Take your food regularly, at stated intervals — not at any 
hour of the day ; and do not form the habit of eating be- 
tween meals. 

If anything is taken outside of the regular meal-time, 
ripe juicy fruits, as apples or oranges, will usually occasion 
less disturbance than more hearty or substantial food. 

Let at least the greater part of each meal consist of plain 
food ; and do not continue to eat after the actual wants of 
the system are satisfied. 

The supper should be the lightest meal, both in quantity 
and quality ; and it ought to be taken at least three hours 
before retiring for the night. 

Do not wash down the food with a fluid ; eat without 
drinking ; this will insure more thorough mastication and 
insalivation ; it will also help to preserve the teeth. The 
horse never leaves his oats or corn to take a sip of water 



94 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I. 

between mouthfuls ; nor is lie ever tortured with the tooth- 
ache. 

It is a bad plan to rise from the table, rush out into a 
freezing atmosphere, and take a long cold ride ; the body 
becomes chilled and digestion is apt to be interfered with. 

A few minutes' brisk walking in the morning, filling the 
lungs with fresh air at every breath, is an excellent tonic 
before breakfast. Try it — you that are not too feeble to 
leave the room. 

As a rule, fruits and vegetables are best served at sepa- 
rate meals ; vegetables, if eaten, should be taken at dinner 
— near the middle of the day. 

Eaw ripe fruits, as apples, berries or cherries, are fine for 
breakfast, and best at the beginning of the meal. 

Avoid the frequent use of soft, sloppy foods ; and also 
of soft bread ; give the teeth something to do, if you would 
have them grow strong, and keep clean. 

Do not take very hot or very cold foods or drinks ; these 
crack the enamel of the teeth, and destroy them ; they also 
weaken the salivary glands, enfeeble the stomach, and im- 
pair digestion. 

If you want good teeth, you must first eat the kinds of 
food that will make them, and then you must use them, or 
they will decay. Remember that a cow can be slop-fed till 
her teeth will fall out. To preserve the teeth, then, you 
must throw white bread to the dogs (and it will kill them if 
they are fed exclusively on it), eat bread made of the flour 
of the whole grains, and have it well baked ; it must be hard 
and crusty enough to keep your teeth clean and bright. 

To secure a good sweet breath, the digestion must be 
perfect and the teeth clean. Use the brush after eating, not 
before. Some persons brush their teeth the first thing in the 
morning and the last thing at night ; this leaves them un- 
brushed between breakfast and dinner, and between dinner 
and supper — or in other words, only clean at night. Form 



PART I.] HINTS ON COOKING. 95 

the habit of brushing the teeth the first thing after you rise 
from the table. 

Another important rule, and always applicable, is the 
following : make the meal as enjoyable as possible ; a cheer- 
ful face, with pleasant conversation, is an excellent condi- 
ment. And if children dine with "big folks," let them 
learn at the start, that they too are to be put upon their good 
behavior. 

Hints on Cooking. 

The following hints on cooking, some of which apply to 
Part II., and some to Part III., may be convenient for 
reference. 

In making loaf bread, the flour should in cold weather be 
slightly warmed before mixing, and the dough set to rise in 
a wooden tray or thick earthen crock — never in a tin vessel, 
as the dough is apt to chill from draughts of cold air. 
Bread to be good and wholesome must be thoroughly baked, 
having the crust nicely browned, but not scorched ; and it 
is better baked in pans that have closely fitting covers ; these 
confine the escaping vapors about it, and by preventing 
evaporation make the bread much sweeter. 

Mix all pastries lightly and quickly, gathering the mass 
together without kneading ; have the materials as cold as 
possible, and either bake as soon as mixed, or lay the paste 
into a refrigerator. Never make pies or cakes till the oven 
is ready for them ; roll your pie-crust pretty thin, start with 
a brisk oven, hot enough to brown without blistering or 
scorching, and moderate the heat as the baking proceeds. 
Be sure the bottom crust is well done before taking the pies 
from the oven. This for cream pastry. Pies made of apples 
that are under-ripe and their crust shortened with butter 
(which, however fresh and sweet, is always less wholesome 
than cream), are improved by baking an hour and a half in 
a very slow oven. 



96 HEA.LTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

Nearly all vegetables are best dropped into boiling 
water, and cooked rapidly ; particularly those of a watery 
nature, as cabbage, turnips, string beans, young peas, and 
potatoes, new or old. As soon as done, lift from the 
fire ; cooking a little too long, makes all the difference 
in the flavor. Cabbage thinly sliced will cook in thirty 
minutes. Another direction applicable to nearly all vege- 
tables, is to put them on in as little water as possible, having 
none to pour off, or next to none. As a rule never soak 
potatoes or other vegetables before cooking them, and never 
parboil them — not even beans, unless they are very old and 
strong, and then only for a few minutes ; when the water is 
drained off replace it with more, boiling hot 

Fruits if overripe must be cooked but little, and taken 
from the fire the moment they are done ; a trifle under- 
done is fully better than cooked too much. All green or 
unripe fruits are improved by starting them in cold water, 
and cooking or simmering slowly (without stirring), for a 
long time. The long, slow cooking makes the fruit taste 
sweeter and riper. 

All dried fruits, as apples, peaches, pears, prunes, sweet 
currants, etc., should be well washed, dropped into boiling 
water, cooked rather quickly, and removed from the fire as 
soon as done. Peaches and apples dried by steam, usually 
cook in twenty-five or thirty minutes, and sweet currants in 
thirty-five minutes. 

Grains are best steamed, starting them in hot or cold water 
(rice is less sticky started in cold), and cooked till tender ; 
the water in the pot below should be kept constantly boiling. 

Steamed bread, to be good, must be well managed ; as 
soon as the batter is mixed, pour it into a round pan, well 
oiled, and set this inside the steamer ; the pan must not be 
quite full. Then cover it with an inverted plate or pie-pan ; 
and if the steamer is one with holes in the bottom, place 
two or three bits of wood under the pan, so that the steam 



PAET I.] HINTS ON COOKING. 97 

can enter beneath it. Now put on the lid of the steamer, 
the latter being closely fitted over a pot of boiling water 
and cook constantly, keeping the water at a fast boil. Do 
not uncover till the bread is done ; then lift the lid, take 
out the pan, and set it in a hot oven to brown ten or fifteen 
minutes. Steamed puddings, mixed in a batter, are managed 
in the same way, except the browning at the end. 

When com meal is used in mixing either steamed breads 
or puddings, take golden or white flint meal, if you can get 
it ; and fill the measure not quite so full as when meal from 
the dent corn is taken. 

In making puddings or steamed breads, never heat the pan 
before oiling, as this will make the batter stick to it ; a little 
olive oil, or beef dripping, may be used instead of butter. 
In baking batter puddings, or any that may adhere to the 
sides of the dish, a good plan is to place the latter in the 
oven within a shallow vessel (as a dripping-pan), containing 
a little boiling water. Custards, if baked, are best managed 
in the same way. 

Always heat milk in a farina-kettle if you have one, so as 
not to scorch it. In the absence of this utensil, heat in a 
tin bucket set inside a pot of boiling water ; or a thick 
stone or earthen crock will answer, if the fire is not too hot. 

If bread-crumbs are used in puddings, dressings, hashes, 
etc., have at least a portion of them of good, home-made 
Graham loaf, unsweetened ; the gluten in this bread makes 
it richer and finer flavored than the white. 

In preparing sweet currants for cakes or puddings, pick 
them over carefully, and wash in a colander till they are 
perfectly clean ; then dry in the oven, being careful not to 
overheat them, and finally dredge well with flour before 
Stirling them in. 

If soda is put into bread, cake or puddings, use it spar- 
ingly. A " teaspoonful " of soda, is simply the spoon filled 
until it is level ; and the same for cream of tartar. But if 



98 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART L 

baking-powder is employed, the spoon must be heaped some- 
what, owing to the fact that nearly all baking-powders are 
one-third starch. The proper proportion of pure soda and 
cream of tartar, is said to be about six ounces of the former 
to sixteen of the latter. 

When eggs are used, as in making custards or puddings, 
beat the yolks and whites separately ; if you sweeten first, 
whip the yolks a little (to avoid lumping), then beat with 
the sugar, and stir the whites* in last. Eggs to beat well, 
should be fresh, and moderately cold ; and experienced 
cooks say they should never be beaten in a tin vessel, but in 
stone or earthen ware. 

The rule for custards, is to cook very slowly; and if baked, 
to take from the oven as soon as they are well thickened — 
before they begin to separate, or become watery. 

Soups must boil or simmer slowly till done ; and most 
kinds need three or four hours' cooking. When necessary, 
remove fragments of meat, bones or vegetables, by straining 
through a colander at the last ; return to the pot and heat 
again, before serving. 

Meat, if roasted, should be placed in a hot oven till the 
surface is seared, and then bake slowly till done. If stewed, 
pour boiling water over it till half covered, skim if neces- 
sary, boil rapidly five or ten minutes, and then stew gently, 
till a fork will go through the thickest portion of it easily. 
The water should all be evaporated when done ; and if 
finished as a pot roast, heat the oil or gravy in the bottom 
till the under surface of the meat is nicely browned ; then 
turn it over, and brown the other. 

If cold meat is to be warmed over (as in a hash), do not 
heat too long ; you can cook a good hash in fifteen or 
twenty minutes, after the meat, bread and potatoes are pre- 
pared. 

Cold potatoes are best warmed over as follows : oil the 
skillet slightly, just enough to keep them from sticking ; 



PART I.] HINTS ON COOKING. 99 

slice, if they are whole ; if mashed, see that a second crush- 
ing leaves no lumps, and stir them up lightly with a fork. 
AVhen the skillet is hot turn in the potatoes, and heat 
quickly till they are nicely browned on the bottom, but not 
scorched. Then with a knife turn them over, brown again, 
and dish for the table. Ten minutes will suffice for the 
browning ; and in ton minutes more, tli3y should be eaten. 

To toast bread perfectly, cut it in even slices about half an 
inch thick, and brown, not too rapidly, over a bed of live 
coals ; the bread should be stale to begin with. Turn it 
over before the slice warps too badly ; that is. if you are 
holding it on the end of a fork ; then toast the other side, 
and turn again if necessary. When done, the entire surface 
should be crisp, and an even chestnut brown. If the crust 
scorches a little, scrape off its burnt edges with a knife. 

To warm over mushes or grains, never add a particle of 
water, not even boiling ; turn into a stew-pan, set where it 
will heat quickly, cover, and stir two or three times till the 
mush is thoroughly hot. 

To warm bits of stale bread, dip the slices quickly into 
cold water, and lay them in a hot oven ten minutes, or till 
the surface is crisp, and the bread well heated through ; it 
will be as good as new — better, to most persons' liking. 
Cold biscuits, split in two, dipped quickly into cold water, 
and then heated in the same way, are excellent. 



V 



PAKT II 



THE HYGIENIC DIETARY. 

To those who are acquainted with the principles of hygiene 
as expounded by their great originator, the late E. T. Trail, 
M.D., it is needless to say, that a strictly hygienic dietary 
is one in which the grains, fruits and vegetables, are all pre- 
pared without the slightest addition of seasonings or condi- 
ments, even sugar and milk being excluded. But so far 
removed from this plan are the usual methods of cooking, 
and so great the prejudice against this innovation, that it is 
next to impossible to convince people that foods prepared in 
this plain, simple manner, could be either healthful or pal- 
atable. It is the object of this work, or rather this part of 
it, to place before the reader a collection of recipes, which, 
with little or no alteration, would be fully up to the standard 
of Dr. Trail himself. On the other hand, a very moderate 
amount of the plainer condiments — which any cook can add 
to suit herself — makes these (otherwise) hygienic dishes 
acceptable, even to perverted palates ; while as respects 
health, food prepared in the ordinary way, can not begin to 
compare with this diet. It replaces the waste tissues of the 
body, it develops muscular strength, and it satisfies the nor- 
mal appetite ; it does not impair the digestive organs, 
neither does it clog the tissues, nor wear out the vital 
machinery. It sustains, it nourishes, 



PABT II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 101 

UNLEAVENED BREAD. 

To prepare the " staff of life " as it should be, four things 
are necessary. First, we must have good grains ; second, 
these must be cleaned, and properly ground into flour or 
meal ; third, the flour or meal must be rightly mixed into 
dough or batter ; and lastly, the dough or batter must be 
well baked. 

The whole or unhulled wheat, as elsewhere stated, is said 
to contain no less than fifteen elementary principles, all of 
which are necessary to build up the structures of the body. 
Beneath the outer or woody portion of the grain, lies an 
abundance of glutinous matter ; here also are found most 
of the carbonates, phosjmates, and other mineral substances 
that enter so largely into the formation of the teeth, bones, 
cartilages, etc. Beneath these again, is a substance that is 
composed chiefly of starch, the elementary principles of the 
latter being carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. It is this part 
of the wheat that is used in making the white flour of com- 
merce, particularly the superfine. So far, then, as the num- 
ber of chemical elements is concerned, Graham flour stands 
to starch — and proximately to white flour — in the propor- 
tion of fifteen to three, or five to one. Now, when we con- 
sider that bakers' bread (and that is what the masses live 
upon in cities) is made of this impoverished white flour ; 
that it is raised by fermentation, which still further impairs 
its nutrient qualities ; that it is to a large extent impreg- 
nated with alum, and is often half sour before baking — we 
can safely say that this is about the slenderest " staff " that 
ever a living creature sought to lean upon. 

Graham (or unbolted) flour is too often manufactured 
from small, shrunken grains of spring wheat, or other 
poor material. This is why there is ordinarily such a large 
per cent, of bran in it ; too much entirely for either good 
health or good eating. An excellent article for Graham 



102 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

flour is the white wheat, of which the Genesee is a variety. 
This has very nearly the right proportions of hull, gluten, 
etc., to make wholesome and palatable breadstuff. 

On the quality of flour, the late R. T. Trail, M.D., in his 
" Hydropathic Cook-Book," says : " Unless the grain is well 
cleaned before it is ground, we can not have the- most de- 
licious bread. There is, too, a great difference between 
fresh-ground and stale flour, the former making incom- 
parably richer, sweeter bread. Those who * eat to live,' or 
to enjoy, had better, therefore, look well to the kind of grain, 
to its being thoroughly cleaned from dust, cockle, smut, 
sand, chaff, etc., and to its being ground but a short time 
before using." " The wheat meal or Graham flour in market 
is not unfrequently an admixture of ' shorts ' or ' middlings,' 
with old, stale, soured or damaged fine flour ; and fine flour 
is sometimes — more especially in European markets — adul- 
terated with whiting, ground stones, bone dust, and plaster of 
Paris" 

The most difficult thing after the selection of the wheat, 
is to have it ground in the best manner. There are but few 
mills in the United States that make first-class Graham flour. 
Either the wheat is not cleaned before grinding, or it is cut 
too coarse, or the stones get hot by running too fast, and 
" kill " the flour, or it is ground or rather mashed with dull 
stones, so that the hull is scaled off in large flakes of bran. 
In this latter condition, it is so coarse and rough as seriously 
to injure the delicate coats of the stomach and bowels, 
especially if it is used for any great length of time. This 
is one cause of the prejudice that sometimes exists in re- 
gard to Graham bread. 

All flour, of whatever kind, should be kept in a dry, cool 
place, and in a pure atmosphere, where the circulation is 
good, as it absorbs impurities readily. And for leavened 
bread, it is said that the flour should always be thoroughly 
disintegrated (sifted or shaken), and in very cold weather 



PART II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 103 

warmed before mixing ; a process which would help, no 
doubt, to expel any gases or vapors that it may have ab- 
sorbed. 

The best Graham flour in our market is that manufactured 
by Ferdinand Schumacher, of Akron, Ohio. This gentle- 
man has built a mill that cleans each grain perfectly before 
grinding ; it cuts the hull fine enough to pass through a 
coarse corn-meal sieve, and turns out an excellent article 
of lively Graham flour made from the best white wheat. 
By sending for his " w. w." (white wheat) grade, we get the 
choicest of Graham for hard rolls, loaf bread or pastries. 
Moreover, this flour is so clean and sweet that it will keep 
for weeks, if put in a cool place, without getting old or 
musty. His oat meal, pearl wheat and pearl barley, are 
among the best in the country, both in the quality of the 
grains, and the methods of preparing them ; each grain is 
nicely dressed, the rougher portion of the outer or woody 
fiber being removed. Cracked wheat, as it is called, is pre- 
pared in the same way, before the kernel is divided or 
cut. The ordinary cracked wheat (now fast disappearing 
from our markets), which is simply crushed, contains a 
large per cent, of dwarfed or shriveled grains ; the hulls, 
which are harsh and fibrous, are comparatively unbroken ; 
and were it not for the " dressings " that usually accompany 
it at table, very little of this article would be eaten. 

First and best of all the varieties of bread preparations 
known to hygienists, is the cold-water bread usually called 
the hard Graham roll. It is made by mixing wheat meal 
with pure cold water, the colder the better. Properly prepared 
and baked it is sufficiently light or porous, owing to the air that 
is confined within its texture during the process of baking. 
Xo other kind of bread begins to compare with this in 
wholesomeness ; and the longer one uses it, the better it is 
-elished. It is substantially what Dr. Trail calls the perfect 
bread — or Premium Bread. There are many " little things " 



104 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

to be observed in order to make it successfully ; the manner 
of mixing, the consistency of the dough, the kind of knead- 
ing, the forming of the rolls, the spacing in the pan, the 
dispatch in getting it into the oven, the heat required, the 
time it should bake, the test as to when it is done, the 
cooling process, — all these are important ; but once the 
cook is familiar with them, this bread is as easily made as 
almost any other ; and there is no need of failure. 
The following is the recipe in full : 

Hard Graham Rolls. =|= 

If the Graham flour is of red wheat or coarsely ground, 
it must be sifted.* Before you begin to mix, have the oven 
heating, and the bread pans clean ; they need not be oiled. 
Take for mixing, the coldest water you can get — ice-water, 
if you have it ; wet the flour with this, using a little at a 
time ; that is, pour in slowly and stir fast, so as to moisten 
the mass gradually, allowing no little puddles to form, to 
make the dough wet and sticky. It may take say two-thirds 
of a pint of water to mix a quart of flour ; though the 
quantity will vary according to grade of flour used ; the 
coarser it is ground, the more wetting will be needed. 

Continue to mix until rather a soft dough is formed ; 
about as soft as you can well handle. If you get the dough 
too stiff, the bread will be dry and harsh ; if too soft, it 
will be wet and clammy. 

Mix in a smooth bowl of common yellow earthenware, if 
you have it ; also do the kneadirig in it, as the dough will 
not stick to its sides. Knead lightly but thoroughly all 
of ten minutes by the clock. When sufficiently worked, 
the dough becomes fine and smooth, lighter in color, and 
elastic to the touch ; if you poke it with the finger it will 



* Ordinarily, the terms Graham flour, wheaten meal, unbolted flour (of 
wheat), and even "brown flour," are used interchangeably. Unbolted rye 
flour is often called rye meal. 



PAKT II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 105 

rise or spring up as the pressure is removed. Then take 
half of it, and roll it over and over on the moulding-board 
with the hands, forming a long roll about an inch and a 
quarter in diameter ; cut this off in bits nearly an inch and 
a half in length, or large enough to make a roll from three 
to four inches long, and not quite three-quarters of an inch 
thick. Take each bit separately and roll it firmly together, 
making it smooth and round, and of the length and thick- 
ness just stated. Leave no dry flour on it, but let it drop 
from your fingers smooth, straight, and well- worked. As the 
rolls are made place them in the bread-pan, leaving quite a 
space between each, so that in swelling (as the air expands 
in baking), they may not touch each other. 

Make out the panful quickly, and on no account allow the 
rolls to stand after they are moulded, lest the air escape 
and they become heavy. For the same reason, let the oven 
be hot enough to brown moderately, almost from the begin- 
ning, as the lightness of the bread depends upon the con- 
finement of the atmospheric air within its crust, which forms 
around the roll in baking. Hence, the more crust there is 
above the flat surface of the pan, the lighter the bread will 
be. This is why rolls or round balls are always lighter than 
biscuits. 

The more even the heat of the oven, the better for baking ; 
it should be hot enough to scorch white bread. If too hot, 
the rolls will blister, letting out the air ; if too cold, the air 
will escape before the crust forms, and in either case the 
bread will be heavy. A tolerably good rule is to have the 
oven so hot that you can hold your hand in it just long 
enough to count ten, rather slowly. A little experience, 
however, soon enables the cook to regulate the heat. 

Before putting the rolls in the oven, prick well with a fork 
to prevent blistering. It will require about thirty minutes 
to bake thoroughly ; and if you happen to get them thicker 
than usual, it will take five minutes longer. "When about 



106 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

half done, turn each roll one-quarter over — or a good plan 
is to shake the pan — so as to brown the sides ; and when 
quite done remove from the oven, and turn out on a table, 
spreading them well apart. They should be entirely cold 
before you lay them in the bread-box, as they are apt to fall 
if put away warm. If any of the rolls yield to pressure 
when taken between the thumb and finger, they are not 
done, and must go back to the oven ; otherwise they will 
shrivel in cooling, and become heavy. "When cooled a little, 
place them one layer deep on plates, and send to the table ; 
and what are left over, save for the next meal, to be eaten 
cold. 

It is best to bake fresh every morning ; though any rolls 
left from the day before, may be warmed over as follows : 
first break each into two or three pieces, not lengthwise, 
but across ; never cut them ; then drop into cold water, and 
let them stand two or three minutes. Place well apart in a 
bread-pan, and set the latter on the grate in a brisk oven, 
which will crisp without scorching them ; remove from the 
oven as soon as the bits are firm enough not to yield to 
pressure. If properly managed, they will be lighter than 
when newly made — provided the rolls have not been over- 
done in the first baking. 

The above bread is deservedly the standard among hy- 
gienists. Among people in general it is a new-comer, 
nothing whatever being known as to the way in which it is 
made ; hence the fullness of detail, as just given. For the 
benefit, however, of those who are already partly initiated, 
the directions are given below, 

More Briefly.=|= 

Mix Graham flour with cold water, forming a dough 
about as soft as you can handle with the hand ; if the flour 
is of red wheat, or is coarsely ground, it must be sifted. 
Knead very thoroughly, as for " beat biscuit," ten to fifteen 



PART II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 107 

minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Then 
form into rolls three to four inches long, and barely three- 
quarters of an inch thick ; leave no dry flour sticking to 
them. Make them out rapidly, and place a little apart in 
the pan ; then prick well with a fork, and put them in the 
oven ; it must be hot enough to brown nicely, but not to 
scorch. Bake about thirty minutes. "When done, the rolls 
should not yield to pressure between the thumb and finger ; 
and when taken from the oven, spread them out on a table 
to cool. They may be eaten for breakfast a little warm ; or 
you can lay them away cold, for dinner or supper. 

Stems. 4= 

Mould the same as hard rolls, except that you make the 
stems a little longer, and only about half the thickness ; 
they will bake in from twenty to twenty-five minutes, ac- 
cording to the heat of the oven. They are very sweet and 
crisp when warm, but not as good as the rolls, after they 
are a few hours old. You may warm them over the same 
as hard rolls, breaking each into small bits before wetting. 

Stems and rolls can be made of rye meal, though they 
are not as good as the wheaten. 

Cold- Water Loaf Bread. 

The dough for this bread is mixed the same as for the 
hard rolls, already described. After fifteen minutes' good 
kneading, mould into small loaves, three to three and a half 
inches thick, and about five inches in length ; prick deeply 
with a fork, and place in a hot oven. The heat should be 
as even as possible, to avoid blistering or scorching. It will 
take from an hour to an hour and a quarter to bake the 
loaves thoroughlv. This bread must not be cut till cold. 



108 health in the household. [part il 

Cocoa-Nut Bread. 

Some weak stomachs can not tolerate this bread, the 
grated cocoa-nut being rather difficult to digest. The usual 
way of making it, is as follows : to one quart of Graham 
flour allow half a teacupful of grated cocoa-nut ; prepare 
the nut by peeling off the brown or outer portion, then 
grate the remainder as fine as possible, stir it well through 
the flour, and mix as for hard rolls, kneading thoroughly. 
Save and add the cocoa-nut milk, if it is perfectly sweet ; 
mould into rolls or biscuits, or any desired form, prick well, 
and bake till fully done, in a hot even oven. 

A safer way for invalids, is to soak the grated nut in a 
pint of cold water for an hour, or longer ; then put the 
mixture into a farina-kettle, warm to blood heat, and set it 
back on the stove where it will keep warm for two hours. 
Then bring almost to a boil, removing the kettle from the 
fire just before the cocoa-nut water begins to bubble. Let 
it stand till quite cold, strain out the nut and use the water 
for mixing ; add the milk if it is sweet. If you make by 
this method, grate the whole of the cocoa-nut, and add 
enough water to cover it before soaking and heating ; when 
you have strained out the nut and added its milk, use as 
much flour as the fluid will wet to the proper consistency. 

Hot-Water Kolls. 

These are the soft rolls so common in Water-Cures years 
ago, and still largely in use. They are sweet, and tolerably 
wholesome, especially if the dough is mixed rather stiff, and 
the bread very thoroughly baked. To make them, pour 
boiling water into a quantity of unsifted or rather coarse 
Graham flour, stirring constantly with a strong iron spoon 
until two-thirds of it is scalded ; then finish with cool or 
cold water, stirring with the spoon, and forming a dough 
stiff enough to handle with the hands ; if too stiff, the bread 



PART II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 109 

will not be good. Then pinch off in small bits, and make 
into rolls an inch thick, and about three inches in length ; 
form by rolling on the moulding-board, sprinkled with dry 
flour to prevent sticking. Put them into the bread-pan, 
spacing so they will not touch each other, and bake from 
thirty to forty minutes, in a very hot oven. This bread is 
best eaten warm, though it is pretty good cold. 

Instead of rolls you may make into biscuits, two and a 
half inches in diameter, and three-quarters of an inch in 
thickness. Rye flour (unbolted) can be used instead of the 
wheaten — or half rye and half wheat, which would be less 
sticky. 

Hot- Water Loaf Bread. 

Mix as for hot-water rolls in the last recipe, having the 
dough a little stiffer, and kneading it longer. Mould into 
loaves about three inches thick, and five inches in length ; 
bake all of an hour, in a hot oven. If underdone, this bread 
will be wet and clammy ; do not cut till cold. It can be 
made either of wheat or rye flour (unbolted), or with a 
mixture of the two. 

Graham Crackers.=|(= 

Take sifted Graham, or best Akron flour unsifted, and 
mix as for hard rolls (first bread-recipe given), only a little 
stiffer. Use very cold water — ice-water is best — and knead 
thoroughly and very hard, all of twenty minutes ; then roll 
to the thickness of ordinary pie-crust, cut in any shape 
desired, and prick deeply with a fork. Bake in an even 
oven from ten to fifteen minutes, or until the crackers are 
dry and hard. Let them get quite cold before stacking 
away, and then put them in a dry, cool place. 

If the ordinary Graham flour is used, a good plan is to 
sift it, and add a third or fourth part white flour of the 



110 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

coarser brands ; or you may take cold-blast flour, if you 
have it. 

Other Crackers. 

Make the same as the last, using cold-blast flour in place 
of Graham ; and instead of rolling out the paste and cutting, 
pinch it off in small bits, and roll into stems three inches 
long and hardly as thick as your little finger. Mix with ice- 
water, or the coldest you can get. As soon as moulded 
bake from ten to fifteen minutes, or until thoroughly dry 
and hard ; when cold, set away on plates. 

If you have not the cold-blast flour, use equal parts of 
sifted Graham and "middlings," then mix and bake as 
before. 

Wheat Meal Crisps. =|= 

These are sometimes called wafers. Take Graham flour, 
best Akron (or other Graham sifted), and mix as for crackers 
in the last two recipes. Knead very thoroughly, pinch off in 
small bits, and roll to the thickness of a knife-blade. Bake 
in a pan or on the grate, in a hot oven, and be careful that 
they do not scorch ; they will be done in five to ten minutes. 
This bread is sweet, crisp and tender, as well as very whole- 
some, and is quickly and easily made. 

Oat Meal Crisps. =f= 

Scald oat meal with boiling water, stirring with a spoon, 
and making a pretty stiff dough ; knead well together, dust 
the moulding-board with a little Graham flour, and roll to 
the thickness of nearly a quarter of an inch. Then cut 
into small cakes and bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes, 
or till they are dry and hard, but only slightly browned. 
Watch closely, that they do not scorch in finishing. In 
rolling out this dough, it cracks badly near the edges ; after 
using the cake-cutter gather up the ragged pieces, knead 
them well together, and roll again. 



PART II. 



UNLEAVENED BREAD. Ill 



These crisps will keep for days in a dry place ; and if 
heated over in the oven, they will be as brittle and tender as 
when first baked. 

Scotch Oat Cakes. 

In Scotland, the oat meal cake is made and baked as fol- 
lows : Take oat meal, not too fine, and wet it with water 
that is nearly or quite boiling. Mix well together, making 
the dough as smooth as possible, and roll out as in the pre- 
ceding recipe ; but instead of using the cake-cutter, make 
one large round cake, and cut it into quarters. Place these 
on a griddle (the griddle in Scotland is supplied with a 
bail), and hang it over the fire ; when nicely browned on 
the under side, lift from the griddle, and toast the upper 
side to an even brown, before the coals. These are essen- 
tially the same as the oat meal crisps. 

Oat Meal Bannocks. 

Pour boiling water over fine oat meal, scalding it thor- 
oughly, and stir with a spoon to form a batter considerably 
thicker than for Graham gems ; so thick that it will scarcely 
drop from the spoon. Then oil a bake-pan, set it on the stove 
till hot, and pour the batter into it to the depth of about 
half an inch. Separate the cake into four quarters with a 
knife, set the pan in an oven moderately hot, and bake from 
twenty to thirty minutes, without scorching. 

Mush Bolls.=|= 

Take any cold mush made of corn meal, Graham or rye 
flour, oat meal, samp, or farina, and knead into it enough 
Graham flour to form rather a soft dough ; just stiff enough 
to handle with plenty of flour. If too much or too little 
flour is worked in, the bread will not be good. Make into 
rolls three to four inches long, and nearly an inch thick ; 



112 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

then bake in a hot oven thirty to forty minutes. This bread 
is best eaten warm, or not quite cold. 

Instead of the above mushes, cold rice or cracked wheat 
can be used. If corn mush is taken, white flour kneaded 
in makes a very sweet roll ; but the dough must be mixed 
almost as soft as it can be handled, and then baked in a very 
hot oven. 

Wheaten Gems. 

If hard rolls are the best of all the breads, gems are 
among the poorest, owing to their soft and rather moist 
texture ; there is a great difference, however, in the way 
they are made. 

Stir into cold water (ice-water is best), enough coarse 
Graham flour, unsifted, to make a tolerably stiff batter — not 
thin enough to settle smooth when lifted in the spoon. If 
the batter is too thin or too thick, the bread will not be light. 
For ordinary Graham, unsifted, two parts water and three 
of flour, are about the right proportions. Beat vigorously, 
and dip into hot gem-pans of cast-iron ; if clean, they need 
no oiling. Set them on top of the stove until well heated, 
and fill them not quite even full ; bake in a very hot oven, 
thirty to forty minutes. Or if you like more crust, fill only 
half or two-thirds full, and bake hardly so long. If 
properly made and thoroughly well done, the gems will be 
very light, spongy, and comparatively dry. 

Fruit Gems. 

Make a batter as above of unsifted Graham flour, rather 
coarse, and stir in sweet currants ; then bake as before. 
The currants should be carefully picked over, and well 
washed in a colander before using. Instead of these, raisins 
steamed, or partially stewed in a very little water, and mixed 
with the batter, are good ; the seedless raisins may be used 
without steaming. 



part ii.] unleavened bread. 113 

Potato Gems. 

Take one cup of warm potato, finely mashed, and soften 
it with a cup of tepid water ; then stir in Graham flour un- 
sifted, until a gem-batter is formed. Beat well, drop into 
hot gem-pans, and bake in a good even oven, thirty to forty 
minutes. 

Hygienic Kusk Crumbs. 

Take bits of unleavened wheaten bread, and dry them 
thoroughly in an oven hot enough to brown slightly, but not 
to scorch. Then break them in a mortar, and grind in a 
coffee or hand-mill. Or you may take stale Graham loaf, 
grate it, brown in the oven, and when brittle roll fine. 
This is "hygienic rusk crumbs." Serve with fruit juice 
(some use milk), allowing it to soak a few minutes before it 
is eaten. 

Parched wheat may be ground and eaten in the same way. 

Corn Preparations. 

It is sometimes asked whether bread made from corn 
meal is wholesome, and whether the yellow or white meal is 
best. Corn bread is rather hearty in warm weather ; in 
winter, and moderately cool weather, it may be used even 
by patients, two or three times a week or oftener, without 
detriment. As to quality of meal, the corn best fitted for 
bread is the genuine "flint "; the " dent " corn is so soft in 
structure, that any bread made from it is apt to be gluey 
and heavy. This is particularly true of steamed breads. 
The real " golden," which is made of flint corn of a deep 
yellow color, and is common in Eastern cities, is very sweet 
and good. But by far the best meal in our Western markets, 
both for bread and mush, is that made from the " white 
flint " corn. A poorer quality, common in the West, is of a 
pale yellow color ; and a still poorer, which is a bluish 
white, is not fit for bread. 



114 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

One great difficulty, both East and West, is to get corn 
meal that is not ground too fine ; and usually the better the 
quality of corn (as white flint or golden), the finer the 
millers make it. When ground so very fine, it is next to im- 
possible to make good " lively " bread from it without the 
aid of baking-powder, eggs, or fermentation. On the other 
hand, corn of poorer quality is often ground into meal that 
is entirely too coarse ; this makes bread that is harsh to the 
taste, and very irritating to the mucous surfaces of the ali- 
mentary canal. 

Corn Dodger. 

Mix corn meal with cold water, making a dough stiff 
enough to handle ; then mould into oval cakes about two 
inches thick, put these in an oiled pan, and smooth the top 
with the hand wet in cold water. Bake in a hot oven, forty 
to fifty minutes. In the olden times, the cakes were wrapped 
in husks, and baked under the embers. 

Corn Dodger. 

Scald the corn meal with boiling water, forming a dough 
or batter as stiff as will drop from the spoon. Spread it 
an inch thick on an oiled griddle, turn when well browned, 
and bake on the other side. Bake in all, from twenty to 
thirty minutes, turning two or three times if necessary. Or 
you may spread it in an oiled bread-pan, place in a moder- 
ate oven, and bake forty to fifty minutes, reducing the heat 
at the last. 

Hoe Cake. 

Wet the corn meal with cold water, making a dough stiff 
enough to spread with a knife. Stir thoroughly, spread it 
on a smooth board wet in cold water, and prop up and bake 
before the fire ; you will need an open grate, or fire-place. 
On the Southern plantations, this cake was baked on a broad 



PART II.] UNLEAVENED BREAD. 115 

hoe ; hence its name. In the absence of a board you may 
use an oiled bread-pan, or griddle ; make the cake from 
half an inch to an inch in thickness. 

Corn Bread. =|= 

Take coarse corn meal, scald one-half, and add cold water 
to mix the rest, forming a dough moderately stiff ; then beat 
hard. Mould into small oval cakes two or three inches 
thick, put them in an oiled pan, and bake from forty to fifty 
minutes. This bread is very good warmed over the next 
day, by cutting open the cakes, dipping them into cold 
water, and laying in a hot oven ten to fifteen minutes. 
Dough mixed in the same way, only a little thinner, can be 
baked in gem-pans ; have a hot oven, and bake twenty to 
thirty minutes. 

Corn Gems.=§= 

Take a quart of coarse corn meal, scald half of it at night 
with boiling water, and let it cool to blood heat ; add the 
other half of the meal, and mix with tepid water, forming a 
batter as thick as will drop from a spoon. Let it stand in a 
warm place till morning ; then dip into gem-pans, oiled and 
hot, and bake in a quick oven thirty minutes. 

In warm weather the batter should not be mixed at night, 
as it would sour before morning ; it can be made soon after 
breakfast, kept in a warm place, and baked for dinner. A 
handful of Graham flour, added after scalding and cooling, 
is an improvement. 

Corn Pone. 

Make a corn mush, and cook it thoroughly ; while hot, stir 
into it coarse corn meal to form a pretty stiff dough. Then 
add more meal, and enough cold water to make a dough 
that you could mould with the hands ; almost too stiff to 
sto with a spoon , it will soften on standing. Mix thor- 
9 



116 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

oughly, working out all the lumps of mush or dry meal ; 
set this in a warm place for several hours, or until the 
dough begins to swell. Then without working, turn it into 
a deep round dish, iron or earthen, and well oiled ; smooth it 
lightly over the top, wetting the hand in cold water, and place 
in a hot oven. After it begins to brown reduce the heat, 
and bake two or three hours, according to the size of the 
loaf. Take particular care that neither the top nor the 
bottom crust burns. 

This bread, properly made, is sweet and delicious ; it is 
good eaten cold or warm. It is also excellent warmed over, 
as follows : cut it in thick slices, dip these quickly into cold 
water, and then either steam, or heat them through in the 
oven. Corn pone is a bread well known in North Carolina, 
and other Southern States. 

In cold weather it is best to mix in the evening, let the 
dough stand over night, and bake in the morning or fore- 
noon. Care must be taken, however, that it does not get 
too warm or stand too long, and sour before baking. In 
the early days this bread was baked in a deep "Dutch 
oven " (or bake-ketfcle), on the hearth before the fire ; the 
oven was set over a bed of coals, covered with a lid, and 
coals were put on the latter ; it was turned from time to 
time, to let the loaf bake on all sides. 

Steamed Corn Pone. 

In these days, when bread is no longer baked in iron 
ovens or bake-kettles, a good way to cook corn pone is to steam 
it till half or two-thirds done, and then finish by baking. Mix 
as in the recipe just given ; and when the dough is light and 
ready for the oven, pour it into a round tin pan, well oiled, 
set it covered in a steamer, put on the lid, and steam two 
hours without uncovering. Then take it out, place in a 
moderate oven, and bake one hour ; do not scorch the crust. 



part ii.] unleavened bread. 117 

Good Breakfast Cake. 

Mix a corn pone as in the last recipe but one, and let it 
stand in a warm place over night; in the morning dip the 
batter into hot gem-pans, well oiled, and bake for breakfast. 
The gems are excellent. 

Rye and Indian Bread. 

Take two parts coarse corn meal, and one of unbolted 
rye ; see that both are fresh and sweet. Scald the corn 
meal thoroughly, and let it stand until lukewarm ; then stir 
in the rye meal, until all is well mixed. The dough should 
be nearly as stiff as you can stir it, with a strong iron 
spoon ; if too stiff, add a little warm water. After mixing, 
pour it into a round pan, tin or earthen, and well oiled ; set 
it in a warm place two or three hours, and then bake. Be- 
gin with a brisk oven until a thin crust forms ; after this, 
bake very slowly, from three to four hours. Be careful not 
to burn the crust in finishing. 

Instead of rye, coarse Graham flour can be used, or half 
of each. You may steam this bread five or six hours if you 
like, and then brown it in the oven ten or fifteen minutes ; 
longer, if you want a good crust. 

Rye, Wheat and Indian. 4= 

Take two parts coarse corn meal — " flint," if you have it 
— one of cracked wheat, and one of rye meal ; if rye meal 
can not be had, take coarse Graham flour instead ; or rye 
flour may be used, provided the corn meal is very coarse. 
Scald the cracked wheat well, by itself, then add and scald 
the com meal, mixing both together, and forming rather 
a soft dough ; let the latter cool till lukewarm, and then 
put in the rye ; this should make the mixture about as stiff 
as can be stirred with a spoon. If you get it too stiff add 
a little tepid water, stir well, pour into a round pan well 



118 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT'IL. 

oiled, and set in a warm place two hours ; then bake (or 
steam and bake), as in the preceding recipe. Raisins, sweet 
currants, dates, or other fruits, may be stirred into the mixt- 
ure before baking (or steaming), if desired. 

This, as well as the bread described in the preceding 
recipe, is excellent baked in a baker's oven, and left in 
several hours after it is done. It is very good sliced and 
toasted, when it is one or two days old. 

HUCKLEBERRY BREAD. 

Mix together three cups of rather coarse corn meal, and 
one and a half cups of middlings (rye flour will do), and 
wet with sweet milk, making a batter that will pour readily. 
Into this mixture stir one full quart of huckleberries ; and 
if you have the old-fashioned brick oven, such as bakers 
use, pour the batter into an earthen crock, well oiled, and 
set it in the oven with the other bread ; do this in the even- 
ing, and leave it in all night ; or if you bake in the morn- 
ing, let it remain in the oven several hours. 

This bread is very good steamed ; let the batter stand in 
a warm place two hours, then stir the fruit in lightly, 
and steam two hours and a half ; brown ten minutes in the 
oven, at the end. 

Rye and Indian Gems. 

Mix two parts rye meal, and one part corn meal ; then 
wet with cold water, forming a batter that will barely drop 
from the spoon. Beat very thoroughly until the mixture is 
creamy, and drop into hot gem-pans of cast-iron, slightly 
oiled. Fill the pans nearly full (unless they are very deep), 
and bake in rather a hot oven, thirty to forty minutes. A 
very fair gem is made of all rye meal, unsifted ; moderate 
the heat of the oven in finishing, and do not have the gems 
too thick. 



part n.7 leavened and other bread. 119 

Snow Bread. 

Stir well together in a cold room, two parts of clean dry 
snow, newlv fallen, and one of com meal ; turn the mixture 
into a bread-pan, smooth it till level, and bake in a very hot 
oven. The cake before baking, should not be more than 
two inches thick. 

LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 

The preceding chapter has told how to make " perfect 
bread"; the present one gives some of the best methods of 
making imperfect bread. 

The question is sometimes asked, " Which is worse for 
the stomach, yeast or soda ? " Perhaps it is enough to know 
that both are bad. The yeast — which is said to consist of 
vegetable infusoria — is the product of a rotting process, 
leading step by step to actual putrefaction ; and as such, it 
destroys certain proximate principles in the grains in which 
it is used. In the early stages of fermentation the sac- 
charine matter is decomposed, and carbonic acid and alcohol 
are given off ; as it proceeds, the starchy substances are 
destroyed, and acetous acid or vinegar is formed. Another 
step in the downward grade destroys the gluten, and brings 
the later stages of putrefaction or decay. So^that yeast 
bread, however well made, is deprived of a part of its 
nutrient material ; and poorly made, it is intolerable, even 
to the taste. 

Soda, on the other hand, is an inorganic substance, and is 
used with an acid, forming a third substance, also inorganic, 
and therefore indigestible ; this remains in the bread, and 
renders it unwholesome. Bi-carbonate of soda, the salt 
generally employed in bread-making, is commonly used in 
connection with tartaric acid — or " cream of tartar," which 
is a bi-tartrate of potassium. In the reaction that follows, 



120 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

a double tartrate of potassium and sodium is formed ; these 
.salts (which are left in the bread), are nothing more nor less 
than the " Kochelle Salts," which are used in medicine as a 
" mild purgative." The carbonic acid that escapes in the 
process of forming them, is what puffs up the loaf. When 
there is not sufficient acid present to combine with the soda, 
a portion of the latter remains, giving the bread a yellow 
color, and a very disagreeable, alkaline taste. 

Pure baking-powder of the best quality, consists of the 
bi-carbonate of soda, and cream of tartar (tartrate of potas- 
sium), mixed together. The proportions given by some 
chemists as the best, are six ounces of the former to sixteen 
of the latter ; but the usual rule is, one measure of soda to 
two of cream of tartar. It is safe, however, in actual 
measurement, not to have too much soda. Bi-carbonate of 
soda, with lactic acid (sour milk), is considered by some as 
less objectionable than the ordinary baking-powder, just 
described. Instead of the cream of tartar, cheaper sub- 
stances, as alum, acid phosphate of calcium, etc., are fre- 
quently sold ; and both the acid and alkaline salts (bi- 
carbonate of soda and cream of tartar), are often largely 
adulterated with various foreign and injurious substances. 

It is difficult, therefore, to say which is least harmful, the 
" soda bread," with its indigestible, inorganic salts and 
adulterations, or the yeast bread, which at best has passed 
through certain stages of decay. Very much, however, 
depends upon the management of the yeast, and the bread 
made with it ; it requires great care to have it just right. If 
the process of fermentation be not arrested at the proper 
moment, the bread will be sour or very nearly so, and ex- 
ceedingly indigestible. 

Never buy compressed yeast, and on no account brewers' 
yeast ; if you want first-class bread, your own hop yeast, 
well made, is infinitely better than either. All brewers* 
yeast hastens the process of fermentation so rapidly, that 






PART II. j LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 121 

most of the sweetness is gone from the bread before it can 
be raised and baked. 

The following recipe for making yeast, is one of the best ; 
and the one given after it, is nearly or quite as good. 

Hop Yeast. =|)= 

1 cup grated potato. 

1 " white sugar. 

£ " salt. 

1 tablespoonful ground ginger. 

1 pint good hop yeast. 

4|- quarts boiling water. 

1 good handful of dry hops. 

Pour three pints of boiling water into a porcelain kettle, 
put in the hops, and boil ten minutes ; then cool, and strain 
through a coarse muslin bag. Put into a separate vessel 
three quarts of boiling water, and add the grated potato ; 
the potatoes must be good and sound ; boil three minutes, 
and strain ; or you may rub through a coarse sieve. Eeturn 
the potato-water to the kettle (this should be granitized iron 
or porcelain-lined), and add the hop-liquor, along with the 
salt and sugar ; heat to boiling, and skim well ; then boil all 
together eight minutes. Pour the hot mixture into a stone 
jar large enough to allow it to ferment, and stir into it a 
tablespoonful of ground ginger, moistened with a little 
warm water. When cooled to lukewarm, add one pint of 
good yeast left from the previous making, and beat very 
thoroughly. Let the yeast stand in the kitchen, or in some 
moderately warm place, twenty-four hours, or until it ceases 
to send up bubbles ; then put it into a clean stone jug, cork 
tight, and set it (in warm weather) in the coolest part of 
the cellar. Shake well from the bottom, each time before 
using. In very cold weather, do not let it get chilled. 

This yeast has been thoroughly tested for years ; it will 



122 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

keep six or eight weeks, or longer, in a cool place ; and with 
even tolerable management, you need never have sour 
bread. Always save a pint to start with next time ; if you 
are starting for the first time, either make the self -working 
yeast (next recipe but one), and start with that, or else with 
bakers' yeast, or good hop yeast, which is the same thing. 
Never use brewers' yeast, as it gives the bread a strong, 
bitter taste ; and bread raised with it is apt to sour. 

Hop Yeast. 

4 tablespoonfuls grated potato. 
2 " white flour. 

4 " sugar. 

2 " salt. 

1 tablespoonful ginger. 

Mix the above ingredients with cold water, to form a stiff 
paste. Then put a double handful of hops into two quarts 
of boiling water, boil ten minutes, cool to lukewarm, and 
strain out the hops ; pour this water over the paste, stir till 
the whole is well mixed, and boil three minutes ; when the 
fluid is cooled to lukewarm, stir in a pint of good yeast, and 
beat well. Let it stand in a warm room till it ferments ; 
then pour into a stone or glass jar, tie a clean cloth over it, 
and set it in the cellar or other cool place. 

If you have no suitable place to keep it, make it into 
cakes, as follows : Stir in fine corn meal, until a stiff dough 
is formed ; then roll to about a quarter of an inch in thick- 
ness, and cut into small cakes. Set these in a very moderate 
oven, or in the sunshine, and when fully dry and cold, tie 
them in a paper sack to preserve their strength, and hang 
in a dry place ; they will keep several weeks, in cool 
weather. 



part ii.] leavened and other bread. 123 

Self-Working Yeast. 

In making yeast it is often difficult to get a good article 
to start with ; in such cases a self -working yeast would be 
of advantage. The following recipe is from "Common 
Sense in the Household," which is good authority: 

8 potatoes. 

2 ounces hops. 

4 quarts cold water. 

1 lb. flour. 

i lb. white sugar. 

1 tablespoonful salt. 

" Tie the hops in a coarse muslin bag, and boil one hour 
in four quarts of water. Let it cool to lukewarm before 
removing the bag. Wet the flour with the tepid liquor — a 
little at a time — making a smooth paste. Put in the sugar 
and salt, and beat up the batter three minutes before add- 
ing the rest of the tea. Set it away for two days in an open 
bowl covered with a thin cloth, in a closet which is mod- 
erately and evenly warm. 

" On the third day, peel, boil and mash the potatoes, and 
when entirely free from lumps and specks, stir in gradually 
the thickened hop-liquor. Let it stand twelve hours longer 
in the bowl, stirring often, and keeping it in the warm 
kitchen. Then bottle, or put away in corked jars, which 
must be perfectly sweet, and freshly scalded. This will 
keep a month, in a cool cellar. It is more troublesome to 
make than other kinds of yeast, but it needs no other ' rising ' 
to excite fermentation, and remains good longer than that 
made in the usual way." 

Leavened Graham Bread. — (General Directions.) 

To the inexperienced housewife, the following directions 
for making Graham bread with yeast, will be convenient for 



124 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

reference. Though the best of rules may fail, without that 
rare counterpart, known as good management. 

1. See that the yeast is good, and the flour the same. 

2. If you like moist bread, scald a cup or part of a cup of 
flour, and cool to blood heat ; then add warm water, the 
yeast, and just enough flour to form a batter that will drop 
(not pour) from the spoon. 

3. If bread rather dry and flaky is preferred, omit the 
scalding, and make the sponge a little thinner ; thin enough 
to pour from the spoon, but not too easily. 

4. You may use for the sponge, either Graham or white 
flour, sifted ; most persons prefer the white, perhaps from 
the fact that ordinary Graham is inferior in quality, and 
the sponge made of it apter to sour. Mix with water not 
warmer than blood heat, add the yeast, and beat till you 
have a smooth batter ; you may allow of good hop yeast, 
about half a cup to a quart of water. 

5. Set the sponge in a warm place to rise, and do not let 
it get too light ; in summer, you can leave it on the kitchen 
table. In winter, it is better to set it on the tank of hot 
water at the back of the stove — or if you have a range, 
place on the shelf above it. 

6. Mix the bread as soon as the sponge is ready ; many «. 
batch has been spoiled, through neglect of this rule. When 
the batter begins to send up little bubbles, the fermentation 
has commenced ; and by the time the whole mass looks 
light, and rather foamy, proceed to mix. 

7. In cold weather warm the flour a little, before you 
make the bread ; and if ordinary Graham is used, sift it ; 
best Akron is fine enough without. 

8. Use for wetting, simply the sponge — no water. And 
for moist bread (which has the stiffer sponge, with scalded 
flour in it), mix very soft ; entirely too soft for kneading. 
Simply work the mass well with the hands (in the tray), till 
it is thoroughly mixed ; then scrape the dough from your 



PART II.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 125 

lingers with a knife, and smooth off the top. Now sprinkle 
lightly with flour, cover with several folds of old table-linen, 
and set in a warm place to rise ; it may take several hours, 
or over night. When risen, the dough will have stiffened 
somewhat ; then knead ten to fifteen minutes (according to 
quantity), working in very little flout'. 

9. But for bread that is rather dry and flaky, mix the 
dough (with a sponge that will just pour) considerably 
stiffer ; stiff enough to leave the sides of the tray ; then lift 
to the bread-board, and knead vigorously about fifteen 
minutes. When worked enough, the dough becomes elastic ; 
if you give it a poke with the finger, or with your closed 
fist, it will rise or spring up when the pressure is removed. 
Then return it to the tray — over the bottom of which yuu 
have sprinkled a little flour — cover, and set to rise. 

10. Always mix in a warm room, so as not to chill the 
bread ; in very cold weather, you may protect it from 
draughts of air by covering with several folds of thick 
flannel, kept for the purpose. 

11. When the weather is cool or cold, make the sponge in 
the afternoon or evening, and mix the bread before bed- 
time. Next morning knead, and form into loaves, then set 
to rise, and bake. 

12. In very warm weather, make the sponge in the morn- 
ing ; this enables you to mix, set to rise, mould, and finally 
bake, all in the daytime ; whereas, the dough would almost 
certainly sour, if it had to stand over night. 

13. Do not let the bread get too light, in either the first 
or second rising ; when it has doubled in volume, it is just 
about ready for moulding or baking. 

14. Allow sufficient time for the fermentation ; do not 
hasten or force it, by keeping either the sponge or bread 
too warm ; neither must you let it chill before fermentation 
begins. 

15. Mould into small loaves, having a pan for each ; this 



126 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II, 

favors thorough baking ; it also gives more crust, which is 
the sweetest part of the bread. 

16. Have a good even oven, and not too hot in the outset ; 
the heat should permeate the loaf gradually, giving it time 
to swell a little before the crust forms. 

17. You must allow a longer time for baking Graham 
bread than you would for white ; forty to fifty minutes for 
small loaves, and about an hour for large ones. 

18. Have the oven a little hotter for Graham than for 
white bread ; moderate the heat toward the last, and finish 
without the slightest approach to scorching ; the crust 
should be a good chestnut brown, neither too thick nor too 
thin. 

19. When taken from the oven turn the loaves out of the 
pans, and lean them up endwise against something till 
cold ; then wrap in clean old linen, and pat into the bread- 
box, also clean. 

20. The next day (or several hours after baking), cut in 
even slices, not too thick, and the last thing before sending 
to the table. Do not leave the cut loaf standing, to dry out ; 
either wrap in a clean cloth, or lay it back in. the box. 

Briefly stated, leavened Graham bread differs from white 
in the following particulars : it requires less kneading by 
about one-half ; it takes a little longer time for baking, and 
rather a hotter fire ; and — for moist bread — it is mixed as 
soft as it can be handled. In other respects the manage- 
ment is essentially the same, either for Graham or white 
bread. 

The best pans for baking loaf or other bread, are made 
with closely fitting covers or lids, which confine the heated 
air about the bread, and prevent its sweetness from being 
lost in the exhaled vapors. These pans may be made of 
tin or sheet-iron, with a cover of the same material. The 
bread that our grandmothers baked in the old-fashioned 
oven or bake-kettle, owed its superior sweetness to the fact 



I'AKT II. J LEAYENED AND OTHER BREAD. 127 

that the loaf was placed in a confined atmosphere. If bread 
is baked in open pans, the big brick (or stone) oven which 
bakers use, is best ; it takes in a great many loaves at once, 
and confines the heated air about them. But as private 
families can not all be supplied with bakers' ovens, there is 
no way but to use the ordinary cook-stove. 

Leavened Graham Bread. =§= 

Make a sponge by taking three pints of warm water, two- 
thirds of a cup of yeast, and enough white flour to thicken. 
Have the water no warmer than blood heat ; then stir in 
part of the flour, add the yeast, and enough more flour to 
make a batter that will pour from the spoon, but not too 
readily. Beat till smooth, and then set to rise in a warm 
place. In all but the very hottest weather make the sponge 
in the afternoon, say between four and five o'clock, or in 
time to mix the bread before bed-time ; if the yeast and 
flour are good, and the temperature just right, the sponge 
should be light enough in three hours, or less time. 

When ready, sift into the mixing bowl — a clean wooden 
tray, if you have it — three quarts of Graham flour, or enough 
to form a dough that you can mould ; if best Akron is 
used, omit the sifting. Before you begin to mix, dip out a 
pint of the flour to work in at the last, if needed ; then 
make a well in the center of the remainder, pour in the 
sponge, and gradually mix in the flour, being careful not 
to get the dough too soft, nor yet very stiff. As soon as it 
will leave the sides of the tray, lift to a bread-board and 
knead thoroughly from ten to fifteen minutes ; then sprinkle 
a little flour over the bottom of the tray, and lay in ' the 
kneaded bread ; cover with several folds of old linen, and 
leave on the kitchen table, or in some other moderately 
warm place, to rise over night. In the coldest weather, 
warm the flour a little before you mix ; and when you set 



128 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

the bread to rise, it may be well to throw a folded blanket 
over it ; or you may carry it to the furnace room, after the 
fire is low. 

Next morning, the bread having risen to twice its first 
volume, is waiting a second kneading. If this can not be 
done immediately, you will have to set it in a cold room, 
lest it get too light ; and bread that has risen overmuch is 
never sweet. The only really safe rule, is to knead as soon 
as the batch is ready ; ten minutes' light kneading will be 
long enough. Mould into small loaves (this amount of 
dough will make five or six), put them into separate pans, 
cover, and set in a warm place ; in half an hour, or when 
they have risen to double their former size, place in a very 
moderate oven ; do not forget this last item, as the bread 
should swell a little before its surface hardens. Follow with a 
steady heat — rather hotter than for white bread — and bake 
from forty to fifty minutes ; larger loaves would require 
about an hour ; reduce the heat toward the last, and finish 
with an evenly browned crust, not the least bit scorched. If 
on removing from the oven, any of the loaves are not firm 
to the touch and well browned, top, sides and bottom, they 
must be set back a few minutes, for further baking. 

As soon as done, stand each loaf endwise, leaning against 
a stone jar or other upright object, on the kitchen table ; 
this will admit the air on all sides, leaving the crust dry and 
brittle, not soft and tough. When thoroughly cold wrap in 
a clean cloth, and lay in the bread-box ; cut the next day. 
After the bread is two or three days old, you may slice and 
toast it ; or cut it a little thicker, dip quickly into cold 
water, and crisp in a hot oven. 

Very good bread is made — and many like it for a change 
— by working into the above sponge equal parts Graham 
and white flour ; then knead, set to rise, mould into loaves, 
and when risen again, bake as before. The bread is a pale 
buif color, and very sweet and good. Or you may ase all 



PART II.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 129 

Graham, both for sponge and mixing, and make in other 
respects the same ; many prefer it to the above bread. 

Leavened Graham Bread. — ( Softer. )=§= 

1 quart boning water. 

\ cup good hop yeast. 

1 " sifted white flour for scalding. 

4J cups " " " " thickening. 

6 " " Graham " " mixing. 

The bread made according to the last recipe is light, dry 
and flaky ; that described in the present one is more moist, 
but light, sweet and good. Some prefer one, some the 
other. 

In the afternoon, say four or five o'clock, make the sponge ; 
scald the cup of white flour by pouring over it the quart of 
boiling water, and stirring well to remove lumps. When 
cooled to lukewarm, thicken with the rest of the white flour 
(sifted), add the half cup of yeast, and beat to a smooth 
batter, thick enough to drop from the spoon. Set this where 
it will keep warm ; when risen, which should be in two or 
three hours, sift the Graham flour into the tray ; or if you 
have best Akron (Graham flour from white wheat), simply 
stir it up lightly, without sifting. In very cold weather, 
warm the flour slightly before beginning to mix ; dip out a 
cupful to work in as it is needed, then make a well in the rest 
of it, and pour in the sponge. Mix as soft as possible, 
working with both hands till the flour and sponge are 
thoroughly incorporated, and a plastic dough is formed — 
entirely too soft to lift from the tray. Then remove with a 
knife what adheres to the fingers, sprinkle the surface 
lightly with flour, and cover with several thicknesses of old 
table-linen. You may leave the tray on the kitchen table, 
or in some other warm place. If the yeast is good, the 
bread can be made as early as seven or eight o'clock ; though 



130 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT H. 

in pretty warm weather it is better to set the sponge later, 
and mix the last thing before bed-time. 

Next morning you will find the bread increased in vol- 
ume, and also considerably stiffer in texture ; so much so 
that you can readily lift it from the tray to the moulding- 
board. Give it ten minutes' thorough kneading — a little 
longer for a larger batch — using very little flour ; then 
mould into four or five loaves, put in separate pans, cover, 
and set to rise. When light enough, bake ; a 'few moments' 
delay will spoil the bread. The oven must be moderate in 
the start, allowing the loaves to swell a little before they 
commence to brown ; if baked too fast at first, they will be 
doughy in the middle. Continue with an even heat, slack- 
ening it toward the last, so as not to scorch in finishing ; 
the bread should be done in from forty to fifty minutes, 
though larger loaves (which are never quite as good) re- 
quire an hour. Have the crust an even brown, and not too 
thick. When taken from the pans, stand the loaves endwise 
till cold ; then wrap in clean cloths, and put away. 

In very warm weather, the bread is in danger of souring 
if it stands over night ; to avoid this, set the sponge in the 
morning, and get through with the intermediate processes 
in time to bake the same day. 

Leavened Graham Bread. 

The following recipe is from a lady who is an excellent 
bread-maker : 

Over two tablespoonfuls of white flour pour a pint of 
boiling water ; then pour in cold water until it is lukewarm. 
Stir in white flour to form a batter that will pour (not drop) 
from the spoon, put in half a cup of good yeast, and beat 
well. Set this to rise over night, and in the morning stir in 
another pint of white flour, beating very thoroughly ; let it 
stand in a warm place till it begins to send up bubbles. 



PART H.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 131 

Then take enough sifted Graham flour to mix with the 
sponge, and form a dough not very stiff ; knead till it looks 
and feels smooth and silky, and set it to rise. When light 
enough knead very little, form into loaves, and put them 
into the pans. As soon as they have risen sufficiently (if 
too light the bread will not be sweet), set in a moderate 
oven, and bake till done ; they will require fully an hour, if 
the loaves are of ordinary size. When taken out do not set 
them flat on the table, but place endwise, leaning against 
something until cold. Cut the day after baking. 

Graham Bread with Potato Sponge. 

Peel four or five potatoes, drop into a quart of boiling 
water, and cook till soft ; then lift them out, mash till free 
from lumps, and add the water (hot) in which they boiled, 
mixing well together. Stir into this enough sifted white 
flour to make rather a thin batter, and beat well to remove 
the lumps. Let it stand till lukewarm, and then add half a 
cup of good hop yeast, and one pint of tepid water ; thicken 
with white flour to form a batter about as stiff as will pour 
from the spoon, and beat very thoroughly. Set this sponge 
where it will keep warm without scalding ; when light, sift 
into the bread-bowl equal parts Graham and white flour, 
say three pints of each, and make a well in the center. Now 
add the sponge, mixing as you pour, and forming a dough 
stiff enough to leave the sides of the bowl. Knead 
thoroughly, till the dough is elastic to the touch, which will 
take perhaps fifteen minutes ; then set it to rise, covering 
well, and leaving it in a warm place. As soon as risen form 
into small loaves, knead moderately, and set where they will 
keep warm. When light enough bake in a good even oven, 
nearly an hour. Do not cut the bread till it is one day old. 

This, and indeed all loaf bread, is better baked in a 
brick oven, such as bakers use ; and it is sweeter if put in 
pans (tin or iron) with closelv-fitting covers. The pans may 
10 



132 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

be made in any shape desired ; the best perhaps are circular, 
and widening toward the top, like an earthen flower-pot. 

Raisin Bread. 

Pick, wash and seed the raisins, a full pint for an ordi- 
nary loaf ; put them in a small, covered vessel, and set the 
latter into a larger one containing boiling water ; cover this 
also, and place over the fire. Let the raisins steam half or 
three-quarters of an hour ; the water that adheres from 
washing, is sufficient to steam them. Mix and knead the 
bread, as in either of the preceding recipes ; when ready to 
mould work the raisins in evenly, and set it to rise in single 
loaf tins. Bake an hour, or till well done, and eat the next 
day. 

Bread from "Risings." 

Leavened bread is often made without hops, as follows : 
Into one pint of water at scarcely more than blood heat, 
stir white flour to form rather a stiff batter, and beat well ; 
our mothers added a little salt, but there is no need of it. 
Make this sponge early in the morning, and set it where it 
will keep at an even temperature, about blood heat ; it will 
take five or six hours for it to rise. Beat several times the 
first three hours — not afterward ; and when the sponge is 
ready, mix immediately ; " delay is dangerous," particularly 
in making bread from " risings." Sift into your tray three 
quarts of Graham flour — or part Graham — make a well in 
it, pour in the sponge, and add warm water (not hot) to 
form rather a soft dough. Knead but little and very lightly, 
and mould into loaves not too large. Set these to rise in a 
warm place, and when light enough, bake in a moderate 
oven about an hour ; if made chiefly of white flour, a little 
Jess time will suffice. This bread requires promptness at 
every step, or it will not be good ; if either the sponge or 
the dough stands after it is risen, the bread loses its 
sweetness. 



part ii.] leavened and other bread. 133 

Bread from "Bisings." 

The following recipe for bread from "risings," comes 
well recommended : 

Scald one cup of fresh corn meal and thin it with cold 
water, making the mixture about blood heat. Stir into this 
one cup of white flour, or enough to make a batter that will 
run from the spoon ; beat thoroughly. Then set it in an 
earthen crock, containing water that can be comfortably 
borne with the hand ; not hot enough to scald the sponge. 
Keep it in a warm place three hours, or until water rises on 
top ; then stir in more white flour, enough to stiffen the 
batter to the first consistency. Let it remain in the crock 
of warm water until risen to a light sponge, though not too 
light. After it is fairly up, put into the mixing-bowl four 
or five pints of sifted Graham flour, pour in the risings, and 
work into a very soft dough, without kneading. Handle only 
enough to mix all well together ; then make into rather 
small loaves, and set in a warm place to rise ; when light 
enough, bake in a good even oven, nearly or quite an hour. 
If preferred, use part white flour for mixing. 

Another recipe, from a good bread-maker, is as follows : 
Scald two tablespoonfuls of corn meal, let it cool a little, 
and then pour in a pint of water scarcely warmer than new 
milk. Thicken with white flour till the mixture is stiff 
enough to drop (not pour) from the spoon ; set this sponge 
in a crock of wami water, kept steadily at blood heat ; stir 
now and then, till it begins to send up bubbles ; and when 
it has risen, say two inches, mix the bread. To do this, 
scald a portion of the flour (Graham), and let it cool to 
lukewarm ; then mix with the sponge, forming a pretty soft 
dough, and knead lightly and quickly till smooth ; the dough 
must not get chilled. Mould at once into loaves, set in a 
warm place to rise, and as soon as they are light enough, 
bake. 



134 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

In making bread from " risings " always set the sponge 
very early in the morning, in order to finish the baking in 

good season. 

Batter Loaf Bread. 

Make the ordinary sponge with tepid water, yeast and 
flour, using half Graham and half white ; set this in a 
warm place. As soon as risen add sifted Graham flour, 
mixing with a spoon till a thick batter is formed ; too thick 
to drop from the spoon. Beat till there are no lumps, then 
pour into small bread-pans, well oiled, smooth the top with 
a knife, and set to rise ; when sufficiently light, bake in 
rather a hot oven about fifty minutes. 

Another. — Make the same as before, using the Lockport 
flour both for sponge and mixing ; the bread is very sweet 
and light, but pretty moist. 

Bye Bread. 

Make the same as Leavened Graham Bread, using white 
flour for the sponge, and either rye flour or sifted rye meal 
for mixing. Or a better way, as the bread is not so apt to 
be sticky, is to mix with half rye meal, and the rest sifted 
Graham flour. Knead lightly, and not too long. 

A very sweet rye bread is made as follows : Make the. 
sponge with tepid water and rye flour, and set it in a warm 
place to rise ; as soon as light mix with rye meal or flour, to 
form rather a soft dough. Knead as little as possible, and 
mould into small loaves. Set these where they will keep 
warm, and when light enough bake in a moderate oven one 
hour. This is rye bread from " risings "; the flour must be 
fresh. A handful of good Graham mixed with it, is an im- 
provement. Cut the day after the bread is baked. 

Bye Flour Bread. 
1 pint warm water. 

3 cups rye flour — or enough for a smooth batter. 
\ cup good hop yeast. 



PART n.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 135 

Make the sponge with the above, and set it in a warm 
place to rise ; it should be light in from two to three 
hours, if the yeast is good. When risen, put into the bread- 
bowl one cup of corn meal and three cups of rye flour, 
mixed together ; or enough to form a dough that will knead 
without sticking to the moulding-board. Mix with the 
sponge, kneading lightly and very little ; scarcely more than 
enough to hold the mass well together, or the bread will be 
sticky ; you may in cool weather, set this to rise over night. 
In the morning mould into loaves (small ones are better 
than large), let them rise twenty to thirty minutes, or till 
sufficiently light, and bake in an even oven about an hour. 

Potato Biscuits. 

2 cups * new milk. 

\ cup good hop yeast. 

2 cups mashed potato — hot. 

Flour for sponge and dough. 

Time (for baking), 20 to 30 minutes. 

Heat the milk to a boil, stir in the mashed potato, and 
cool to blood heat. Then strain through a colander to re- 
move the lumps, add the yeast, and stir in enough white 
flour to form a batter that will pour from the spoon. Set 
this to rise in a warm place ; it should be ready in two or 
three hours. In cool weather you may set the sponge over 
night, and make the bread in the morning. "When light, 
mix with Graham flour, or half Graham and half white, 
forming a tolerably stiff dough ; knead very thoroughly, 
and set in a warm place till risen. Then roll half to three- 
quarters of an inch in thickness, cut in small round cakes, 
and let them rise fifteen or twenty minutes, or till sufficiently 
lisht. 



* A " cup " is half a pint. 



136 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

Bake in a quick oven. You can take water for the sponge, 
if desired ; but the bread will require longer kneading. 
Or a plain rusk may be made in this way : Before mixing, 
add to the above sponge a little sugar finely rolled, and a 
beaten egg ; then proceed as before, not forgetting to knead 
well. 

Stale Bread. 

Cut the loaf in thick slices, dip these quickly into cold 
water, and lay in a hot oven ten to fifteen minutes ; long 
enough to heat through thoroughly. The outside should be 
crisp, but not scorched, and the inside light and dry. 
Bread warmed over in this way, is very good. 

Dry Toast. 

Take bread that is two or three days old, but not mouldy ; 
cut it in rather thin slices, and toast evenly before or over 
the coals. Do not hurry the process. Toast that is merely 
scorched on its surfaces, and underdone between them, is 
not fit for the table ; both sides should be an even brown, 
the bread dry and crisp, but tender enough to be easily 
broken. If rather fresh, lay the slices on the oven grate a 
few moments, and dry slightly before toasting ; or, you 
may dry each surface, holding the slice on the fork before 
the coals, and brown afterward. 

A very delicate toast is made as follows : Cut the slices 
nearly half an inch thick, from bread that is two or three 
days old. Toast with a fork very evenly, and not too 
slowly ; when one side begins to tinge turn the other, to 
keep the slice from warping. Graduate the heat and repeat 
the turnings, in such a way that each surface shall be an even 
brown, with a very .thin layer of soft bread between. Good 
home-made Graham loaf, toasted in this way, is excellent. 
The moment they are ready, serve the slices separately on a 
plate, as they are apt to sweat and become clammy, if piled 
one upon another. 



part it.] leavened and other bread. 137 

Mush Gems. 

Make at night a thick gruel, by stirring corn meal into a 
quart of boiling water ; let it cook twenty-five or thirty 
minutes. Cool to lukewarm, then thicken with Graham 
flour, unsifted, until a batter is formed almost too stiff to 
drop from the spoon. Stir into this a spoonful of sweet 
fluid yeast, and leave it (in winter) in a warm room till 
morning. Then without stirring the batter, dip it into hot 
gem-pans, slightly oiled ; fill about two-thirds full, and bake 
forty minutes in a pretty hot oven. This bread is a great 
favorite with many. 

Mush Biscuits. =§= 

Take hot corn meal mush, and stir in either Graham or 
white flour till it is quite stiff ; add cold water until the 
mixture is cooled to blood heat. Then stir in two or three 
tablespoonfuls of fluid yeast, then more flour, forming a 
tolerably stiff dough ; knead well, and set it to rise over 
night. In the morning mould into small cakes or biscuits, 
oil the edges to keep them from running together, and set 
to rise a second time. When light, bake in a good even 
oven till well done. 

Corx Bread. — (Excellent). + 

The bread described below, though not strictly hygienic, 
is quite plain and very much liked ; it is made without eggs 
or sugar. You must measure the milk before using it. 

Stir into white flint corn meal — or the yellow flint, if 
white can not be had — enough boiling water to moisten (or 
half scald) the whole mass ; stir constantly, while you are 
pouring in the water. Let the mixture stand a moment, to 
give time for the meal to swell. Then pour in a little 
sour milk, and with a spoon mash all the lumps of partly 
scalded meal ; add enough more milk to make a batter 



138 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

almost too stiff to pour, and beat very hard. Stir in soda 
to sweeten, first dissolving it in a little boiling water, ^and 
using a level teaspoonful to a pint of sour milk ; then beat 
thoraughly ; pour immediately into an oiled bread-pan, 
smooth the top with a spoon, and bake in a quick oven 
twenty minutes. The cake must be scarcely more than half 
an inch thick, and must have a good crust, top and bottom. 
Success in making it, depends upon the proper amount of 
scalding, the thorough beating, quick handling, and hot 
oven. 

An excellent cake made with very little milk, is prepared 
in this way : Partly scald the meal (flint, if you can get it) 
with boiling water, the same as in the preceding ; then 
mash the lumps, and stir in sweet or sour milk — if sour, a 
pinch of soda to sweeten — till you form a dough pretty 
nearly as stiff as you can spread with a spoon. Beat till you 
are tired, then spread half or three-quarters of an inch thick 
over the bottom of an oiled bread-pan, and bake in a good 
oven, all of forty minutes ; the two crusts must be well 
browned. 

Still another method, very good, is the following : Into a 
quart of corn meal — white flint, if you have it — pour a pint 
of boiling water, stirring well ; add sour mi]k to form a 
dough barely stiff enough to handle ; buttermilk moderately 
sour, is best. Then add a level teaspoonful of soda finely 
pulverized, beat till light, and mould into small oval cakes 
by tossing the dough over and over in the hands. Place 
them so as not to touch each other in the pan, and bake in 
a hot oven thirty to forty minutes. A handful of Graham 
flour added with the milk, improves the bread. 

Pumpkin Bread. 

Stew pumpkin till it is soft, and rather dry ; then stir a 
cupful of it into a cup of sweet milk, and thicken with 
corn meal till a dough is formed stiff enough to mould with 



PART n.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 139 

the hands. Make into small oval cakes about two inches 
thick, and bake in a hot oven. 

Corn Gems with Eggs. 

Wet a pint and a half of coarse corn meal with cold 
water, making a batter almost too stiff to drop from the 
spoon ; let it stand over night, if the weather is not too 
warin. In the morning stir in an egg, and beat well ; add 
half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in boiling water, and 
stir again very thoroughly. Dip into hot gem-pans, pre- 
viously oiled, and bake thirty minutes in a quick oven. 

Hasty Corn Bread. 

Into a pint of corn meal pour boiling water, to scald 
about half of it ; take for this purpose the water in which 
green corn has been boiled, if you have it. Add a handful 
of Graham flour, and enough sour milk to make a batter 
that will drop readily from the spoon ; mash the lumps 
well, as you add the milk. Then pulverize a teaspoonful of 
soda, add it to the mixture, and beat hard ; drop the cakes 
on a hot griddle previously oiled, and bake, allowing them 
to brown nicely on both sides. They should be less than 
half an inch thick, when done. 

Buckwheat Shortcake. 

Buckwheat flour not too finely ground, is sometimes 
mixed in a batter with milk or water, and baked as plain 
gems or drop cakes. It is also made into "shortcake," 
according to the following recipe : 

2 cups sour milk — or cream. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Flour to make rather a stiff batter — as for wheaten gems. 

Time — 25 to 30 minutes. 

Mix and bake in shallow gem-pans, forming a good crust ; 



140 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

have rather a quick oven, but not so hot as to blister the 
tops. The cakes are sweet and crisp, if well baked. If you 
have not sour milk use sweet, adding, if you choose, two 
teaspoonf uls of baking-powder ; if the powder is omitted, 
stir in a good tablespoonf ul of coarse corn meal. 

Cream Biscuits. =§= 

3 cups sifted Graham flour — or best Akron unsifted, if 

you have it. 
3 cups sifted white flour, the coarser brands. 
2 cups new milk — or half cream and half milk. 

1 teaspoonful* soda, finely pulverized. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 
Time — 15 to 20 minutes. 

Mix the Graham and white flour together ; then, having 
pulverized the soda as finely as possible with a knife, add 
the cream of tartar to it ; stir these well through the flour, 
and sift at least twice. Wet with the milk or cream, and 
mix with the finger-tips, forming rather a firm dough ; you 
must pour slowly and stir fast — the same as in mixing 
pastry ; if the cream is poured in so rapidly, or the stirring 
done so slowly as to form little puddles in the flour, the 
biscuits will be tough. Mix very lightly, using only pres- 
sure enough to make the dough adhere ; get it together 
without kneading, and roll to a little less than a quarter of 
an inch in thickness ; prick well with a fork, and then use 
the cake-cutter. The cakes should be smooth, with no dry 
flour sticking to the surface. Place in a hot oven, and bake 
evenly fifteen to twenty minutes, or till well browned, top 
and bottom. Thick sour cream may be used, in place of 
sweet, but it must be well stirred before mixing ; and in- 



w A " teaspoonful " of soda, or cream of tartar, is the spoon filled no 
more than level ; baking-powder is so adulterated with starch or flour, that 
it is necessary, in using it, to heap the measure. 



PART II.] LEAVENED AND OTHER BREAD. 141 

stead of soda and cream of tartar, take only the former ; a 
teaspoonf al will be enough. This bread, properly made, is 
nearly all crust ; it is very good split apart, and fruit spread 
on it. 

If the ordinary Graham flour made of red wheat is used, 
one part sifted Graham and two of white flour, are the best 
proportions. 

Currant Scone. =§= 

2 cups sifted Graham flour. 

2 " " white 

li " thin sweet cream — part milk will do. 

l£ " sweet currants, picked, washed and drained. 

f teaspoonful soda, finely pulverized. 

1-|- teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 

Time — 30 to 40 minutes, according to thickness. 

Stir together the Graham and white flour, add the soda 
(pulverized) and the cream of tartar, and sift two or three 
times. Then stir in the currants, and wet with the cream 
to make a tolerably stiff dough ; knead as little as possible ; 
gather the mass up lightly, till it will stick together, and roll 
to the thickness of half or three-quarters of an inch ; there 
should be no dry flour adhering to the cake. Prick deeply 
with a fork, or draw shallow lines across the top with a 
knife, forming diamond creases ; then bake in a moderate 
oven, thirty to forty minutes. It should be nicely browned, 
top and bottom, and so evenly and thoroughly baked as to 
be dry and porous throughout. It is very good made of all 
Graham flour. 

When cold, cut in regular pieces, and serve as a cake 
dessert ; it is not so good the day after it is baked. It is 
best eaten with tart fruit (as canned cherries), or with 
gooseberry or grape juice ; and the children like it crumbed 
into grape or other fruit juice, to eat like bread and milk. 



142 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

The Scotch people make this cake of white flour (mixing 
a little softer), and bake it on a griddle over the fire ; when 
one side is sufficiently browned, they turn and brown the 
other. They also make a plain cake, leaving out the cur- 
rants, and bake it in the same way. If sour cream is used 
for mixing, omit the cream of tartar. 

Potato Scone. 

Pare and boil good mealy potatoes, drain off the water 
and mash fine, leaving no lumps. Then mix together equal 
parts of Graham and white flour, sifted, and take out a 
handful for kneading. Into a quart of the mixture, stir 
two-thirds of a teaspoonful of soda finely pulverized with 
a knife, and sift at least twice. When this is done add a 
pint of the mashed potato, rub it well through the flour, 
and mix with sour milk, forming rather a firm dough ; then 
roll out and bake, as in the preceding recipe. If sweet 
milk is used, add to the soda one and a half teaspoonfuls of 
cream of tartar, and mix and sift as before. 



PLAIN FBUIT CAKES. 

Strawberry Shortcake. -|=- 

3 cups sifted Graham flour. 

3 " " white " 
2 " sweet cream. 

1 teaspoonful soda, finely pulverized. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 

4 to 6 quarts strawberries. 
Time — 30 to 40 minutes. 

If the berries require it, wash quickly in a colander ; do 
this an hour before they are wanted ; and if not perfectly 
ripe, sprinkle a little sugar over them to start the juice. 
When large and firm, or a trifle underripe, a little chopping 



PART II.] PLAIN FRUIT CAKES. 143 

with a knife — a silver one, if you have it — is an improve- 
ment. 

Mix the cake as for cream biscuits, already given, sifting 
the soda and cream of tartar several times through the 
flour. Roll to the thickness of half an inch, prick well with 
a fork, and bake in a moderate oven thirty to f orty minutes. 
For weak stomachs make the cake still thinner, rolling not 
more than a third of an inch thick. "When done remove 
from the oven, and lean edgewise to cool, till you can handle 
it comfortably; split carefully in halves by first dividing the 
crust (at its edge) with a knife, and then taking a fork and 
separating the cake as nearly through the middle as pos- 
sible. Lay these each on a plate, crust downward, and put 
on the prepared fruit ; then lay one half on top of the 
other, and after it stands half an hour, serve. 

The above quantity of flour will make three cakes, the 
size of a tea-plate ; these will require from four to six 
quarts of unchopped berries ; if ripe and sound, fewer will 
be needed. It is best in spreading the fruit, not to drench 
the cake with it ; but to leave out a bowlful of the berries, 
and pass as you serve ; no other sauce is needed. If your 
family is small, take half the proportions here given for the 
cake, and half the quantity of fruit. Should you have the 
ordinary Graham flour made from red wheat, take less of it 
by half a cup, and mix with it three and a half cups of the 
white flour. If baking-powder is used, it will require three 
teaspoonfuls, heaping. 

Instead of strawberries, you may take huckleberries, red 
or black raspberries, or cherries ; the latter must be seeded, 
and stewed in a very little water with a trifle of sugar. 

Huckleberry Shortcake. 

Mix the paste as in the last recipe, and roll into two 
sheets, each a quarter of an inch thick ; line a pie-pan with 
one of these, and fill with the berries, sprinkling lightly 



144 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT H. 

with sugar. Then lay on the other crust, trim off the edges 
with a knife, and press firmly together. Bake from thirty 
to thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven, cool to lukewarm, 
and serve without a dressing.- Or, you may make the same 
as strawberry shortcake, which is a better way. 

Strawberry Gem-Cake. 

Take equal parts of cream and milk (or cream and water), 
and thicken with Graham and white flour, half of each, 
making a batter nearly as stiff as will drop from the spoon ; 
dip into hot gem-pans, well oiled, and bake thirty to forty 
minutes, or until thoroughly done. When half cold, split 
the gems through the middle by separating each with a 
fork, place the halves on plates, crust downward, and put 
on a layer of strawberries prepared as for shortcake. Rasp- 
berries, cherries, or gooseberries just beginning to ripen, 
may be stewed, moderately sweetened, and served in the 
same way. Or you may use red or black raspberries with- 
out cooking ; simply sprinkle with a little sugar, and partly 
crush them before spreading. 

Graham Fruit Roll. — (Excellent.)^ 

2^ cups sifted Graham flour. 

3 « « white 

1 cup raisins, seeded and chopped. 

1 " currants, picked, washed and dried. 

2 cups sweet cream. 

1 teaspoonful soda, finely pulverized. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 
Time — one hour. 

Turn the Graham and white flour together, stir in the 
soda and cream of tartar, and sift two or three times. Wet 
with the cream, mixing lightly, and roll in two oblong 
sheets, each a quarter of an inch thick. Cover with the 



PART II.] 



STEAMED GRAINS. 



145 



raisins and currants mixed, and then roll up closely, pinch- 
ing the ends of the folded roll firmly together, to secure 
the fruit. The roll must not be more than three and a half 
to four inches in thickness. Bake in a moderate oven, one 
hour; when cold, cut in round slices, and serve. 

Dates carefully picked, seeded and chopped, or figs thinly 
sliced, may be used instead of either raisins or currants, or 
in combination with them ; but the fruit named in the 
recipe is best. 

STEAMED GRAINS. 

The table below gives the proportions of grain and water 
by measurement, and the time required for cooking in a 
double boiler, which is one vessel within another ; it is some- 
times called a rice-cooker, or a farina-kettle. All grains 
require longer cooking than is generally given to them. If 
underdone they are indigestible, and lacking in flavor; 
the long cooking changes the starch into glucose, which 
is much sweeter and more easily digested. Most people 
render the grains less wholesome by serving them with 
cream and sugar ; this also disguises the defects in cooking. 



Grain. 

Rice 1 cup 

Cracked wheat 1 

Pearl " 1 

Pearl barley 1 

Rolled or crushed barley 1 

Coarse homiuy 1 

Fine " 1 

Samp 1 

Oatmeal (coarse) 1 

" groats 1 

Rolled oats 1 



Water. Time. 

7 cups 2 hours. 



5 

4h 

6 

5 

5 

6 

7 
7 



In steaming, put the grain into boiling water, and from 
first to last keep the water in the outer kettle at a fast boil, 
adding more as needed. The time required for steaming 



146 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II; 

can be shortened, by soaking the grain (covered) over 
night, and cooking in the same water ; but the flavor is 
rather better, if the soaking is dispensed with. In the ab- 
sence of a double boiler, you may cook the grain in a 
covered bucket or other vessel set in a pot of boiling water. 
Some like the grains cooked rather dry, while others prefer 
them quite moist ; if the proportions here given do not suit 
the taste, it will be an easy matter to correct them after a 
single trial. 

Preparations of grain that are finely ground, as purina, 
farinose, etc., should be stirred for a few minutes or until 
they begin to thicken. 

Cracked Wheat.=J= 

Cracked or crushed wheat was originally what the name 
implies, viz., the grain crushed, or cracked partly open. 
But now that each kernel is first dressed or cleaned 
(pearled), and then cut into two or more pieces, some 
other name, as "wheaten grits," "seems more appropriate; 
and this is what the preparation is called, in Eastern cities. 
To cook, put it into a farina-kettle and add boiling water, 
taking five parts of rwater to one of grain ; cover, and cook 
without stirring, three hours* In the absence of a steamer, 
or a double boiler, put the wheat and water into a tin 
bucket, fit on its lid, and set it in a kettle of boiling water, 
also covered. Care must be taken to allow the grain room 
to swell. In summer you may pour it into a mould or oval 
dish, and serve cold. Raspberries, or other small fruits, 
stewed, make a good dressing. 

Rolled Wheat. 

This is cooked the same as cracked wheat, the propor- 
tions being one of grain to four and a half of cold water ; 
or, if liked dry, one to four ; time, three hours. Serve the 
same as cracked wheat. 



part ii.] steamed grains. 147 

Rolled or Crushed Barley. 

Allow one part grain and three parts water, boiling hot; 
keep the water in the outer kettle at a fast boil, cover, and 
steam about three hours. On finishing, some stir in a 
spoonful or two of cream. 

Pearl Wheat ,=j|= 

Put into a double boiler one cup of pearl wheat and four 
and a half cups of boiling water ; cook five hours. Or, if 
preferred, soak it over night in cold water (same quantity), 
keeping the vessel closed covered ; then steam in the water 
in which it soaked, and allow about four hours. 

Pearl Barley. =JJ= 

This takes about the same time for cooking as pearl 
wheat. Start in boiling water, allowing five cups of water 
to one cup of barley, and cook in a farina-kettle all of five 
hours. Or you may soak over night, as in the last recipe, 
which would shorten the time nearly an hour. 

If you have not a steamer, cook in an earthen crock, 
allowing room to swell ; or in a covered tin bucket set in a 
pot of boiling water. If cooked in either of these, it will 
require four or five hours to make the grain tender ; less, 
if it has been soaked. 

A very little cream stirred in at the last, is thought to be 
an improvement to this grain. 

Hominy. 

Hominy is usually made from white flint corn ; there are 
several grades of it, which fact has led to some confusion 
in designating the varieties. First, there is the whole grain, 
which is boiled in the lye of wood ashes till the hulls will 
slip off ; then the lye is soaked out, and the hominy cooked 
until tender. The other preparations common in the mar- 
11 



148 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

ket are as follows : Coarse hominy, in which the kernels are 
cut through once or twice; fine hominy, which has them 
cut into several pieces ; and samp, which is finer still. 

Coarse Hominy. =jj= 

Start in boiling water, and cook in a double boiler for 
five hours ; allow five parts of water to one of grain. In 
the absence of a steamer, cook in an earthen crock an hour 
longer ; or you may boil in a pot over a slow fire, stirring 
frequently to prevent sticking. This grain may be soaked 
over night, and cooked in the same water ; it will then take 
less time by about an hour, but the flavor is hardly as good. 
The only admissible dressing, if any is required, would 
be a spoonful of cream, stirred in a few minutes before 
finishing. 

Fine Hominy, or Corn Grits. =jf= 

Fine hominy is prepared the same as coarse, except that 
the corn is cut into smaller pieces. It is cooked like the 
coarse grits, only not so long ; take one cup of grits to five 
cups of water, having the latter boiling hot. 

Steam five hours, though four and a half will do. If any 
"finishing" is wanted, a spoonful or two of cream stirred 
in five minutes before dishing, is the best. 

Samp.=$= 

Samp (called hominy by some) is made from white flint 
corn. It differs from the "grits" described in the last two 
recipes, in being cut very much finer ; it requires the same 
water to cook it as hominy (or corn grits), but less time. 
Take one part samp and five parts water, the latter hot or 
boiling, and steam about four hours. A little cream or 
new milk stirred in at the last, is considered by most per- 
sons a "delightful finishing." Fruit and fruit juices, as 
raspberries, blackberries or cherries, make a good dressing; 
though some prefer the grain by itself. Serve warm. 



PART II.] STEAMED GRAINS. 149 



RlCE.=#= 

Rice should be cooked till the grains are thoroughly 
tender. If underdone, it is difficult to digest ; also inferior 
in flavor. To one cup of rice, carefully picked over and 
washed, add seven cups of boiling water, and steam two 
hours without stirring ; the grains should if possible be 
unbroken, leaving the whole mass light and porous. Keep 
the water in the outer kettle at a fast boil. Do not cook 
a large quantity at one time (unless the vessel is wide and 
shallow), as the weight of the grain on itself makes it 
heavy and soggy. 

If boiled in an iron pot, like corn mush, it must be stirred 
once or twice at first, to prevent its sticking to the bottom ; 
it will require a little more water than if steamed. 

A good way to cook rice is to put it into a shallow tin 
basin, and add seven parts boiling water to one of rice; 
coyer, and set on the stove where it will cook steadily 
without burning. Shake, but do not stir or uncover. It 
will be done in from forty to fifty minutes. When a small 
quantity is wanted, and in haste, start in plenty of boiling 
water — about seven parts water to one of rice — and cook 
fifty minutes or till tender, shaking the vessel occasion- 
ally. 

Rice and Raisins. =$= 

Pick and wash a cup of raisins, and also a cup of rice ; 
mix them together, add seven cups boiling water, and steam 
or boil as in the last recipe. If cooked in a pot, stir care- 
fully two or three times at first, to prevent the raisins from 
sticking to the bottom. 

Rice — Southern Method. 

The Southern people are said to cook rice as follows: 
After picking over carefully and washing, put it into plenty 



150 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

of cold water, and boil without stirring, just seventeen min- 
utes from the time the pot begins to bubble. Then drain 
off any water that remains, or lift the lid and let it evapo- 
rate ; replace the cover, and steam fifteen to twenty min- 
utes. Each grain should be whole or unbroken. 

Since the above paragraph was written, a lady in Louisi- 
ana sends the following : " After picking over and washing 
the rice, put it into a pot with a plain round bottom, and 
pour in cold water till it rises an inch and a half or two 
inches above the grain. Cover, and boil over a very mod- 
erate fire till done ; for a small quantity, twenty to twenty- 
five minutes would be long enough. By this time the water 
will be about all evaporated, as you will see by lifting the lid. 
Then set the pot back where it will keep hot, put on the 
cover, fitting it closely, and let the rice remain in its own 
steam a few minutes before you send it to the table. It 
should turn out just the shape of the pot, and every grain 
should be whole. Never stir rice." 

Rice — Japanese Method. 

A traveler in that country writes : " They know how to 
cook rice here, though ; and for the benefit of consumers in 
the United States, I investigated the matter. Only just 
enough cold water is poured on to prevent the rice from 
burning to the pot, which has a close-fitting cover, and is 
set on a moderate fire. The rice is steamed, rather than 
boiled, until it is nearly done ; then the cover of the pot is 
taken off, the surplus steam and moisture are allowed to 
escape, and the rice turns out a mass of snow-white kernels, 
each separate from the other, and as much superior to the 
soggy mass we usually get in the United States, as a fine 
mealy potato is to the water-soaked article. I have seen 
something approaching this in our Southern States ; but I 
do not think even there they do it as skillfully as it is done 
here ; and in the Northern States but very few persons 



PART II.] MUSHES. 151 

understand liow to cook rice properly. I am sure that, if 
cooked as it is here, the consumption of this wholesome and 
delicious cereal would largely increase in America." 

MUSHES. 

Sometimes young children, and indeed those of a 
" larger growth," are too much inclined to the use of soft, 
sloppy foods, as mushes, soups, etc. After the teeth are 
developed, these should not be eaten as often as every meal, 
nor to the exclusion of drier foods, but with them. The 
hard Graham roll is the best bread to eat with mushes. On 
the preparation of these, the late R. T. Trail, M.D., has the 
following excellent paragraph : 

" Mushes of all kinds should be stirred as little as possi- 
ble while cooking, after the material sets, or stops sinking to 
the bottom. Much stirring breaks up the particles and 
frees the starchy matter, rendering the food pasty, and de- 
stroying the light, spongy, delicate appearance it should 
present on the table ; too much stirring also makes it more 
liable to adhere to the bottom of the vessel. The water 
should boil when the meal or grain is stirred in, be kept 
boiling, and the mush stirred frequently for a few minutes, 
when it will cease sinking ; then cover closely, and cook 
slowly for an hour or more. Mushes should not be too 
thick, nor so thin as to spread much on the plate when 
dished. The tendency of fruit when cooked in mushes, is to 
settle and adhere to the kettle ; hence, in adding fruit, the 
better way, as a general rule, is to cook it separately, and 
mix just before dishing. The fruit for this purpose should 
always be cooked slowly, and in as little water as possible." 

The best dressing for mushes, because the most healthful, 
is fruit or fruit juice ; though they can be eaten without a 
dressing. Mushes should invariably be started in boiling 
water.; if started in cold, they are apt to taste raw. Most 
of the grains, however, as hominy, samp, pearl wheat, etc., 



152 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET H. 

rnay be put into hot or cold water ; but they will cook soft 
in shorter time by beginning with cold. Cracked wheat 
(wheaten grits) is thought to "jelly" better — and this is 
one of its delightful characteristics — by being started in 
cold water. Rice cooked in the same way, is less inclined 
to be sticky; the flavor too, is better preserved. As a rule, 
the grains are preferred warm, or lukewarm ; though 
cracked wheat, cooked to a jelly, is very good cold. 

Oat Meal Mush.+ 

Allow one pint (scant) coarse oat meal (" B. grade, Akron, 
German Mills," is best), to five pints of water; a little more 
meal, if of the finer grades, and a little less, if it is coarse. 
When the water boils mix in the grain, and stir frequently 
the first ten or fifteen minutes, or it will settle to the bot- 
tom, and scorch. As the mush begins to thicken, set where 
it will boil or simmer slowly, and let it cook in all, an hour 
and a quarter. Stir lightly from the bottom, now and then, 
to prevent sticking ; but the less the granules are broken 
in the operation, the better. Have the mush thin enough 
to pour, but not too readily. 

If steamed in a double boiler, a great deal more time is 
required, and also more water. For coarse oat meal, one 
part grain to seven parts water would be about the right 
proportion ; then steam four hours. If a dressing is wanted, 
stewed fruits or the juices of fruits, are best. 

Rolled oats if cooked in a double boiler, takes one part 
grain to two and a half parts water; time, two hours — 
though longer cooking improves the flavor. 

Corn Meal Mush.=§= * 

Stir into boiling water coarse corn meal — white * 'flint," 
if you can get it — putting in very little at first ; stir con- 
stantly, and add slowly ; this is done that the mush may 
have time to cook thoroughly before it gets thick. If the 



PART II.] MUSHES. 153 

meal is added fast, the mush thickens in the start; and then 
it will continue to taste raw, no matter how long you cook 
it. Repeat the stirring occasionally, to prevent sticking, and 
cook from an hour and a half to two hours; do not make 
too stiff. Stewed sweet currants or other sweet fruits, as 
dried or canned pears, make a good dressing. When mush 
is left oyer, cut it in slices the next morning, dip these into 
corn meal, and lay on a hot griddle, slightly oiled; when 
evenly browned, turn and brown the other side. 

Young ripe corn, just hard enough to grate well on a coarse 
tin grater, makes an excellent mush; the "golden flint" is 
the best for this purpose, though the white flint is very 
good. This grated meal needs no sifting. 

Graham Mush. 

Into a pot of boiling water, stir slowly, coarse Graham 
flour (wheaten meal), to make a tolerably thick mush; less 
than a pint of flour will thicken two quarts of water. Place 
over a moderate fire where it will boil without scorching, 
and cook from ten to fifteen minutes. Stir as little as pos- 
sible; and before dishing, set the pot from the fire a few 
minutes; it will be less likely to stick to the vessel. Serve 
lukewarm, with fruit or fruit juice. 

You may stir in fresh dates five minutes before finishing, 
care being taken not to break the fruit. Prepared in this 
way, the mush is good warm or cold; if wanted cold, mould 
it in cups or a shallow dish, and serve with or without a 
dressing of fruit. 

Mush may be made of unbolted rye flour, in the same 
way as the Graham. 

Farina Mush. 

Take about half a cup of farina, and stir it slowly into a 
quart of boiling water; cook fifteen minutes, stirring fre- 
quently to keep it from sticking. If this mush is considered 



154 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET II. 

" flat " or insipid, stir in a very little cream just before re- 
moving it from the fire. Serve the same as the last, with 
stewed or canned fruits, or their juices. 

PASTEIES. 

The various kinds of pie-crust described in hygienic cook- 
books, and shortened with beans, potato, corn meal, etc., 
have all been tried, and found to be rather unsatisfactory; 
they require too much tact in their management, for any 
but the most experienced cook to undertake. The crust 
when baked, is either hard and tough, or it is soft and 
moist; which is a great objection, particularly if dyspeptics 
are to eat it. It is probable that some art, as yet undis- 
covered, will finally succeed in making good paste out of 
flour and water only; and "short" enough to be palatable, 
by the simple process of kneading, or " breaking " it. But 
as this has not yet been done, we must fall back on what 
may be considered as the next best thing; viz., cream and 
flour, using very little of the former. Some hygienists are 
trying cotton-seed oil for shortening, and for oiling bread- 
pans, pie-pans, etc. They say it gives good satisfaction, 
provided the cook does not use more of it than is needed, 
and does not burn or scorch it. 

The secret in mixing pastry, is first, to have both the 
flour and mixing fluid as cold as possible; second, to put it 
together as lightly as may be; third, to do no kneading — 
only enough gentle pressure to hold the mixture together. 
When made, it should be rolled out and baked immediate- 
ly; or if it has to stand, put it in the ice-chest or some 
other cold place, till wanted. Nearly all Graham flour is 
ground too coarse for good pastry; and in most of it, the 
bran is cut in such large flakes that it must be carefully 
sifted out. A good rule therefore for general use, is to 
take equal parts of Graham and white flour, both sifted; 
though if you have " best Akron " Graham (which is made 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 155 

of white wheat, and the bran well cut), the sifting is unnec- 
essary. The best white flour in the market is prepared 
from good wheat, is of a pale buff, or cream color, and is 
not very fine or smooth when rubbed between the fingers; 
as the cooks say, it has a " round feel." Always keep your 
.flour in a cool dry place, and where the air is pure. 

Cream Paste. 4= 
1 (scant) cup sweet cream — very cold. 
1J cups sifted Graham flour. 
H " " white " 

If your Graham flour is best Akron (white wheat with the 
bran well cut), it need not be sifted; always sift white flour. 
Keep the cream in the ice-chest (or in ice-water) till the in- 
stant you want to use it. Mix the Graham and white flour 
well together, and wet with the cream; pour the latter in 
slowly and stir rapidly, either with a spoon or the tips of 
the fingers; allow no little puddles of cream to form in the 
flour, but mix as fast and as lightly as possible, getting all 
nicely together as if by magic. Do not knead, but gather up 
the dough, using barely enough pressure to make the mixt- 
ure adhere, and touching it with the finger-tips only, as if 
it were " lace and feathers." Then roll out immediately, 
and bake — or lay it in the ice-chesfc till wanted; the dough 
must be pretty stiff. If you have not a marble slab to work 
on (this will keep your paste the coolest), a smooth-topped 
table or moulding-board of walnut or other hard wood, is 
the next best thing. 

Light Cream Paste. =f= 
1 cup sweet cream — part new milk will do. 
1^ cups sifted Graham flour. 
H " " white 
f teaspoonful soda, finely pulverized. 
1^ teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 



156 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

Keep the cream in the ice-chest if you have one, and the 
flour in the coolest place possible, till the moment they are 
wanted. When ready, mix the Graham and white flour 
together, and take out a little to use in rolling the paste, 
Then stir in the soda, well pulverized with a knife, and also 
the cream of tartar; sift two or three times, to blend thor- 
oughly the powder and the flour. This done, wet with the 
cold cream, stirring lightly and quickly together, and with- 
out kneading, as in the last recipe; you may mix with a 
spoon, if you like, though the fingers are better; have the 
dough rather stiff. As soon as the paste will hold together, 
roll it out. 

If baking-powder is used, take two heaping teaspoonfuls 
to the above quantity of flour; Price's (or the Eoyal) is per- 
haps as good as any. Or you may mix with sour cream, 
and leave out the cream of tartar; if you do this, stir in 
the pulverized soda, and sift several times before mixing. 

Cream Batter Paste.=|= 

2 cups sweet cream. 

1^ " sifted Graham flour. 

1^ « " white 

f teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1| teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 

This paste must not be mixed till you are ready to use it; 
then make a batter of the above ingredients, stirring in the 
dissolved soda the last thing, and beating well. Your dish 
having been filled (it may be an apple-cobbler, or other 
" family pie "), spread the batter over the top with a knife, 
making it as smooth as possible; then bake in a quick oven, 
and serve while the pie is warm. Batter crust is sure to 
fall, if it stands long. 

If you use baking-powder, sift it twice through the flour 
before mixing ; two heaping teaspoonfuls would be enough* 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 157 

Or, if you mix with sour cream, leave out the cream of 
tartar, stir a teaspoonful of soda through the dry flour, and 
sift two or three times. 

Cream and Potato Paste. 

This paste is rarely used except for meat pies, and even 
for these the light cream paste is generally preferred. 
There are two ways of making it, both of which are de- 
scribed in Part HL, under Meat Pies. 

Oat Meal Paste. 

For pies that require only an under crust, and are toler- 
ably firm in texture, as pumpkin or squash, the following 
makes a pretty good crust, though it is not to be compared 
with cream paste. Oil the pie-pans with a little olive oil, 
butter, or clean beef dripping ; then sift over them a layer 
of fine oat meal ("A" grade), or oat and corn meal mixed. 
Dip in the filling, and bake. 

Crumb Paste. 

Oil the pans as in the last recipe, and strew or sift finely 
grated bread-crumbs over them ; the crumbs should be dry. 
This makes a convenient paste for puddings that are baked 
in a crust. 

Graham Pies. 

Many persons who can not eat ordinary pastries, or who 
dislike them because of their greasiness, or their starchy " flat- 
ness," have no difficulty whatever in relishing and digesting 
Graham pies made according to the following recipes. Prop- 
erly made and baked, they are both wholesome and palatable ; 
they may be eaten warm or cold. In winter, when brought 
cold from the cellar, it is a good plan to set them in the 
oven a few minutes, until they are heated through ; this 
should be done in time to cool a little, before serving. For 



158 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

patients (and the rule is a good one for well people), the 
best time to eat pastries is at the beginning of the meal ; 
they are better digested on an empty stomach, and there is 
less temptation to overeat. 

In making fruit pies, mix the paste quite stiff, roll it thin, 
and bake immediately ; the pie-pans, if kept in order, will 
need little or no oiling ; if any is required, use a trifle of 
olive oil if you have it, or a very little fresh butter, or beef 
dripping. When you have placed the under crust put in 
the filling, sprinkling on a trifle of sugar if it is needed, 
and add a little water in case the fruit is not sufficiently 
juicy. Dip the fingers into cold water and moisten the rim, 
then lay on the top crust, press the two edges firmly 
together, and trim off the surplus paste with a knife ; the 
less crust in the rim of the pie, the better, provided it se- 
cures the fruit. When the trimming is done, finish the 
edge neatly (here is room for aesthetic taste), prick well 
with a fork for the escape of steam, and if the fruit is very 
juicy cut a cross-slit in the center, before baking. Or — 
what is more tasteful — ornament the top crust with a knife 
"before lifting it from the table, by cutting in graceful curves 
an open work of stems and leaves. 

Bake in a quick oven, as hot as you can have it without 
scorching ; if the top blisters, the heat is too great ; the 
pie must brown evenly, without so much as scorching the 
edge ; and when taken from the oven, be sure the bottom 
crust is thoroughly done. The paste should be light and 
flaky, free from grease, and very delicate in flavor. 

Apple PiE.=f= 

Select good sound apples, not too ripe, and with a rich, 
sub-acid flavor ; if necessary, wash and dry them before 
paring ; this is better than to wash the cut apples, which 
wastes their juices ; pare and slice, not too thin. Then mix 
a cream paste as per recipe already given ; the dough must 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 159 

be quite stiff. Roll pretty thin, line the pie-pans, and fill 
with the apples, taking care that the slices are well placed ; 
add a little water, if the fruit is not sufficiently juicy. Roll 
out the upper crusts, also thin, and lay them on ; pinch 
the edges securely together, prick deeply with a fork, 
and bake in a quick oven, twenty-five to thirty minutes. 
The apples should be well done, and the crusts delicately 
browned, top and bottom. As soon as cooled to lukewarm, 
the pies are ready to serve ; or they may be eaten several 
hours after they are baked. If kept till the next day, a 
good plan, particularly in winter, is to set them in the oven 
long enough to heat through before sending to the table ; 
take out a few minutes before serving, if you like them 
nearly cold. 

Green Apple Pie.=|= 

Select very tart apples, full-grown, but not nearly ripe ; 
pare them, and slice in pretty thick pieces. Mix the paste 
the same as the last, roll it a little thicker, and put in plenty 
of apples, adding as little water as will cook them. Bake in 
a good oven thirty to forty minutes, or till the apples are 
thoroughly soft ; the crusts must be well browned. When 
done, split open the pie with a knife, lay the two crusts on 
separate plates, and cover each with the fruit. Sprinkle 
lightly with brown maple sugar, and eat warm. 

In the early summer when apples are scarce, this pie is 
decidedly appetizing. 

Peach Pie.+ 

Pare and slice the fruit, then make and bake the same as 
apple pie, last recipe but one ; no sugar will be needed, un- 
less the peaches are intensely sour. If this fruit is out of 
season, canned peaches may be used. Peach and all fruit 
pies are best served cold, or very nearly so ; or they may be 
eaten the day after they are baked. 



160 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

Cherry Pie.=§= 

Take tart cherries, wash them, pick over carefully, and 
seed. Then line the pie-pans with a stiff cream paste, 
rolling the crust pretty thin ; over the bottom of each 
sprinkle a little flour, and also the sugar, if any is needed, 
mixing them together with a brush of the hand ; the flour 
and sugar in the bottom of the pan, prevent the juices from 
soaking into the crust. Then put in the fruit, lay on the 
top crusts thinly rolled, pinch the edges firmly together, 
and prick well with a fork ; it is also safe to cut a good 
cross-slit in the center of each, for the escape of steam. 
Bake in a quick oven, and take out as soon as the crusts are 
thoroughly done ; it will require from twenty to twenty-five 
minutes. Let the pies get entirely cold before serving. 

Berry Pie.+ 

Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, huckleberries, or 
any of the ordinary " berries," may be used. Select fruit 
not too ripe, look it over carefully, and make the same as 
cherry pie. Yery little sugar will be needed, say half a 
tablespoonful to a pie, or even less. The crust, it will be 
remembered, is to be mixed stiff, put together without 
kneading, and rolled rather thin. If the fruit is quite juicy, 
as blackberries or strawberries, dust a little flour over the 
bottom crust, sprinkle on the sugar, brushing them well to- 
gether, and then put in the fruit. Bake in rather a brisk 
oven from twenty to thirty minutes, or till the crusts are 
done. If blackberry or raspberry pie is overdone, the fruit 
will taste bitter. Serve cold. If gooseberries are used, take 
them when they are just beginning to ripen, and allow at 
least a good tablespoonful of sugar to a pie. 

Canned fruits, as cherries, raspberries, blackberries, goose- 
berries, etc., make excellent pies. If canned for this pur- 
pose they should be cooked as little as possible, and put up 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 161 

with not too much water ; on opening, if there is more juice 
than is needed, pour some of it off ; it will make a fine 
drink, especially for the sick. 

Grape Pie. 

Gather the grapes when they are about half grown, and 
the seeds soft ; then make the same as gooseberry or cherry 
pie, and eat cold. 

Currant Pie.+ 

Currants that are about half or two-thirds ripe, make the 
best pies. Mix a stiff cream paste, line the pie-pans and 
fill them with the fruit, washing in a colander before it is 
stripped from the stems ; sweeten moderately. Put on the 
top crusts, pinch the edges well together, prick with a fork, 
and cut a good cross-slit in the middle. Bake in a quick 
oven twenty minutes, or till both crusts are done. Serve 
cold. 

Raspberry and Currant Pie.=J= 

Mix equal quantities of raspberries and currants (not so 
many currants if they are scarce), and make the same as 
the last, using less sugar. Bake in rather a brisk oven, and 
take out as soon as the crusts are done. Serve cold. 

Cranberry Pie. 

Throw out the imperfect berries, wash well, and stew, 
allowing about one pint of water to one quart of the uncooked 
fruit. When soft, rub through a colander, and sweeten ; and 
unless they are quite ripe, you may add nearly a cup of 
sugar to a quart of picked cranberries. Mix a stiff cream 
paste, line the pie-pans, and fill with the sauce ; the pans 
should not be very deep. Then roll out a thin sheet of 
dough, cut it into narrow strips, and place in two layers 
over the top, forming diamond squares ; pinch down the 



162 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

ends, and trim off the surplus paste with a knife. Bake in 
a quick oven till the crust is done and nicely browned on 
the bottom. Serve cold the same day. 

Plum Pie. 

Damsons are the best plums for pies ; gather them ripe 
enough not to be " puckery " when cooked ; they should be 
about right for good sauce. Line a deep dish with a firm 
cream paste, making the crust a quarter of an inch thick ; 
then fill with the plums, carefully picked over and washed, 
and sprinkle in the sugar ; it will take about half a cup to 
a quart of plums. Lay on a good top crust, and bake in a 
quick oven forty to fifty minutes, or until the crusts are 
done and well browned. Prick with a fork before baking, 
and also cut a cross-slit in the center. 

Rhubarb Pie.=^= 

Select rhubarb that is young and tender ; wash well, and 
trim off the fragments of leaves, taking care that no worms 
are left imbedded in the stalks. Peel these, split each once 
or twice, making the slices very thin, and cut into inch 
lengths. Prepare a stiff cream paste, roll it in a thin sheet, 
and lay the under crust ; sprinkle in a little flour and a 
heaping tablespoonful of sugar, brushing the two well to- 
gether, over the bottom of the pan ; then put in the rhu- 
barb, carefully placed, and not more than two or three 
slices in depth. Now roll a thin top crust, cover the pie, 
and pinch the edges firmly together ; finish neatly, prick 
well with a fork, and cut a good cross-slit in the middle. 
Bake in a quick oven twenty-five to thirty minutes, or till 
the crusts are evenly browned, top and bottom. Serve 
cold. 

Rhubarb pie, well made, is very delicate in flavor ; indif- 
ferently done, it is one of the poorest. 



part ii.] pastries. 163 

Dried Peach Pie. 

Take clean dried peaches, trim off any burnt edges, wash 
carefully, and stew till soft; drain off and save the juice. Then 
mash till there are no lumps, either with a potato-masher or 
with the hand, which is better ; add enough of the juice to 
make the pies sufficiently moist, mixing it well with the 
fruit. In the meantime, prepare a good cream paste, and 
roll the crusts rather thin ; having lined the pie-pans, spread 
the fruit sparingly, lay on the top crusts, and press the 
edges fii-nily together ; after which, trim with a knife, and 
finish the rims neatly. Prick well, and bake in a quick 
oven twenty minutes, or till the crusts are done, but not a 
moment longer ; if overdone, the fruit will be bitter. 

" Turnovers " are made as follows : Boll the crust pretty 
thin, and just the size of the pie-pan ; after placing it on 
the latter, spread the fruit not too thick, on one half of the 
crust, and turn the other half over it ; then pinch the edges 
together. Finish very neatly, prick deeply with a fork, and 
bake as before. Turnovers, well made, and with good dried 
peaches, are not to be despised ; they are convenient for 
traveling lunches, and are better relished than plain bread. 

Dried Apple Pie. 

Dried apple pies have come into very bad repute, owing 
to the " depravity " of their makers, rather than of the pies 
themselves ; these would be better thought of, if made as 
they ought to be. In the first place, never put into a pie 
fruit that you would not eat out of it ; in other words, take 
good apples, or none. Look them over very carefully, 
trimming off any burnt edges or defective spots ; then wash 
quickly but thoroughly in cold water, rubbing well with the 
hands, and lifting the apples out of it to leave any sediment 
behind ; wash in two waters, if necessary. Then drop into 
boiling water (enough to cook them), and stew rather fast 
12 



164 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II, 

till soft. When done, drain off and save the juice, and 
mash the apples very fine, leaving no lumps ; then stir into 
them a part of the juice drained off, of which there should 
be enough to make the fruit rather moist. Line the pie- 
pans with a cream paste mixed quite stiff, and rolled pretty 
thin ; add the mashed fruit, spreading it less than half an 
inch thick, and put on the top crusts, also thin. Press the 
edges well together, trim off closely with a knife, and finish 
as neatly as possible. Prick deeply with a fork, and bake 
in a quick oven twenty minutes, or just till the crusts are 
done, and slightly browned. Serve cold ; grape juice is a 
good accompaniment. 

Apple Cobbler.=|= 

Pare good rich apples, moderately tart, and not too ripe ; 
core and quarter, or cut into eighths, and put them into a 
dish that is two or three inches deep, and made of stone- 
ware or granitized iron. Add a little water, unless the fruit 
is very juicy, and cover with the ordinary cream paste, roll- 
ing it about twice the usual thickness ; prick well with a 
fork. Then bake in an even oven about an hour and a 
quarter, moderating the heat toward the last, and taking 
care not to scorch the crust ; you may lay a paper over the 
top, if it browns too fast. The long, slow cooking gives the 
fruit a fine, rich taste. This pie makes a very good break- 
fast dish ; it is served in the bake-pan. You may make it 
in the afternoon for the following morning, or early in the 
morning for the noonday meal. 

Another way, very good, is to bake in a quick oven forty 
to fifty minutes, and serve as soon as cold. Or you may fill 
the pan with the sliced apples, adding no water, and if the 
fruit is a mild acid, no sugar ; then cover with either a light 
cream paste, or a cream batter paste ; if the latter is used, 
bake an hour, and serve warm. 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 165 

Peach Cobbler. =jj= 

Select good peaches, fresh from the orchard, and not over- 
ripe ; they should be barely mellow ; clingstones are best. 
Wash them, and rub with a coarse cloth to remove the 
down. If large, pare them, care being taken to make the 
paiings as thin as possible ; the best of the fruit lies imme- 
diately under the skin. If the peaches are small, but rea- 
sonably fair and smooth, you need not peel ; simply wash 
well, and remove the blemished portions. When ready, put 
them into a deep pan of granitized iron, or in a wide and 
rather deep basin of stone or earthen ware, adding cold 
water till it rises pretty well up the sides of the dish. Cover 
with a stir! cream paste, mixed as for other pies, and rolled 
about a quarter of an inch thick ; prick well with a fork, 
cut a good cross-slit in the center, and place in a moderate 
oven ; bake from an hour and a half to two hours, according 
to the size of the pie. Eeduce the heat as the baking pro- 
ceeds, and invert a pan over the top if it browns too fast. 
When done and nearly cold, lift off the crust, and turn half 
the fruit into a deep earthen bowl ; then lay back part of 
the crust, and pour over it the rest of the peaches ; cover 
with the crust that remains, placing it right side up, and 
set the pie away in a cool place for several hours, or over 
night, before serving. If the bake-pan is not pretty deep, 
you had better stew some peaches prepared as for the pie, 
and pour over as you break it up ; this will make plenty of 
juice. Stew the sauce slowly, in not too much water, and 
cool before adding it. 

If preferred, leave the pie unbroken, set it away till cold, 
and serve in the dish, cutting the crust in regular pieces. 
If freestone peaches are used, peel them, cut in halves, take 
out the pits, and be careful to remove any bitter portions 
about the latter. Yellow peaches of good rich flavor, 
clings or freestones, are excellent. 



166 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IK 

Peach Cobbler. =J= 

The pie described in the preceding recipe is a North 
Carolina dish — or was, forty years ago — except that the 
latter had both an under and upper crust. A cobbler more 
easily made and more tasteful in appearance, is the follow- 
ing : 

Take a pan about two inches deep, made of earthen or 
granitized iron ware, and fill it with ripe peeled peaches, 
cling or freestone ; if with clingstones, gash deeply with a 
knife, leaving the stones in ; then add cold water till it rises 
half-way up the sides, and cover with a crust of light cream 
paste, rolled to twice the usual thickness. Prick with a 
fork, cut a cross-slit in the middle, and bake in an even 
oven forty to fifty minutes, or till the fruit is done. Serve 
in the dish as soon as cold, cutting the pie in regular pieces. 
You may make with cut rhubarb in the same way, using 
sugar to sweeten, and very little water. 

Berry Cobbler. =§= 

Line a granitized iron pan two inches deep with a firm 
cream paste, rolling it about twice as thick as for ordinary 
pies ; then fill with ripe blackberries, half -ripe gooseberries, 
or other small fruit. Sweeten if necessary, lay on a thick 
crust, prick with a fork, and cut a wide cross-slit in the 
middle. Bake in rather a quick oven, about forty minutes ; 
both crusts must be well done, and moderately browned ; 
the top must neither blister nor scorch. When taken from 
the oven, carefully remove the pie from the pan, and set it 
away on a plate or platter large enough to hold it. Serve 
cold the same day ; and do not cut before it is needed, as 
the juice will run out. 

Cherry Cobbler. 

Make like the preceding, using seeded cherries instead of 
berries ; the black morello cherries are best, both for pies 



PART II.] PASTRIES. 167 

and sauce. What is known in the markets as the English 
morello, which has short stems, thick flesh, and a small seed, 
is very good. It is red, not black. 

Huckleberry Cobbler. 

Line a bake-dish with a good cream paste rolled twice as 
thick as for common pie-crust, and fill it nearly full with 
huckleberries ; the dish should be about two inches in 
depth. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and cover with a crust 
a quarter of an inch thick ; when you have pressed together 
and finished the edges, prick well with a fork, cut a cross- 
slit in the center, and bake in rather a quick oven from 
forty to fifty minutes, or till the bottom crust is done. 
Then slip the pie on a platter, and cool before you serve it. 

You may use light cream paste for " cobbler " pies ; but 
the ordinary kind is preferable, particularly when there is 
an under crust ; it is not so apt to burst in baking, and it is 
sweeter. 

Apple Dumplings. =f= 

Pare sound tart apples of medium size, and not over- 
ripe ; cut in halves, take out the cores, and then wash 
quickly in cold water to remove the knife-rust. Make a 
light cream paste, as per recipe already given ; it must be 
pretty stiff ; pinch off bits of the dough, and roll to the 
thickness of a quarter of an inch, in a long or oval shape, and 
just large enough to cover two halves of the apples fitted 
together. Wet the margin of the crust by dipping the fin- 
ger in cold water, so that the dough will adhere ; then 
place the fruit within it, bring up the edges, and pinch 
firmly together. No water is needed, if the apples are juicy 
and recently washed. Put the dumplings into a bread-pan, 
slightly oiled, and space them well apart, so they will not 
touch each other ; prick on top with a fork, and bake in a 
moderate oven nearly an hour, or till the apple is done j 



168 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

turn once or twice — if they do not stick to the dish — to 
brown the sides more thoroughly. Take out a few minutes 
before serving. If sauce is required, use stewed or canned 
raspberries ; or you may make a dressing by stewing tart 
apples (not too ripe) a long time, until the sauce is smooth ; 
you can flavor the latter by stirring into it a little thick 
raspberry juice, if you like. These dumplings are very good 
warmed over the next day, the crust being more crisp and 
tender than at first. 

Baked dumplings are drier than steamed, and the 
steamed ones better than boiled. 

Berry Dumplings.=§= 

Make a light cream paste, as in the last recipe, mixing it 
very stiff ; then pinch off bits the size wanted, and roll each 
into a round piece, fully a quarter of an inch thick. Moisten 
the rim with a little cold water, and put in the berries ; 
bring the two edges together, making a long oval-shaped 
dumpling, and pinch well to secure the fruit. Space in the 
pan, so they will not touch each other, and bake from thirty 
to forty minutes, or till the crust is done ; if they brown too 
fast on top, lay a paper over them. The small fruits re- 
quire a moderate oven ; if baked too much, the berries taste 
bitter. 

A good plan is to set the pan or dish containing the 
dumplings inside a dripping-pan with a trifle of boiling 
water in it, and bake till the paste is done; the moisture 
from the water prevents the crust (and the berries beneath 
it) from cooking too fast. It would require about an hour, 
if cooked in this way. 

Berry dumplings are good steamed, provided they cook 
fast, and without touching each other; it is best to wrap 
each in a napkin before putting it into the steamer. They 
should be served as soon as done, with fruit or fruit juice — - 
or if this is not relished, try cream and sugar. 






part ii.] vegetables. 169 

Cherry Dumplings. 
Seed the cherries, and make as in the preceding recipe. 

Fruit Rolly-Poly. 

Prepare a light cream paste, roll it a quarter of an inch 
thick, and spread on the fruit; you may use raspberries, 
blackberries, huckleberries, seeded cherries, sliced peaches, 
or apples sliced or chopped; any of these are excellent; so 
are dried cherries, sweet currants, sliced figs, or other sweet 
fruits. Or in winter, you may take dried apples or peaches, 
first stewing them, and mashing till smooth. When the 
fruit is spread, begin at one end of the pastry and roll it up 
tightly, pinching the ends well together to secure the con- 
tents. Lay the roll in a small iron pan, and bake in an even 
oven about an hour. Serve not too warm. If a dressing is 
required take stewed or canned fruit, fruit juice, or thin 
cream. 

These rolly-polies are very good steamed; make as above, 
cover with two or three thicknesses of old napkin or table- 
linen, and lay in a steamer. If the latter has holes in the 
bottom, put the roll on a pie-pan and set it in, with two or 
three small bits of wood underneath to let the steam up. 
Cook two hours without lifting the lid; then send to the 
table, and serve warm. 

Never boil, if you can steam; steamed paste is lighter 
than boiled, and much more wholesome. 

VEGETABLES. 

The way to make vegetables palatable, is first, to have 
them fresh; and second, to cook them so as to waste as lit- 
tle of their own savory juices as possible. To do this, boil 
or stew them quickly, and remove from the fire as soon as 
done. The rule that applies with scarcely an exception, is 
to drop into boiling water (just enough to cook them), cover 



170 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

closely, and cook rapidly till done. Another rule, not merely 
for vegetables, but for grains and fruits as well, is never to 
fill up with water that is not boiling hot. Most vegetables 
are excellent steamed ; steamers are now made with several 
chambers, so that three or more kinds of foods can be 
cooked at once, without the slightest admixture of flavors. 
In the absence of a steamer, most vegetables should be 
cooked in vessels that are porcelain-lined, or made of grani- 
tized iron. Beans, beets, peas and potatoes, may be boiled 
in iron pots ; these should always be washed and thoroughly 
dried immediately after using, and then set away in a dry 
place to prevent rusting. 

Vegetables, as a rule, should be served at dinner ; and 
(by invalids certainly) they should never be eaten at the 
same meal with fruits. 

Those that have been several days in the market, as 
string beans, peas, beets, etc., are tougher, and require lon- 
ger to cook than if fresh from the field or garden. On ac- 
count of the huckster system which prevails in some cities, 
most vegetables do not reach the markets until some time 
after they are gathered ; then they are too stale to be eaten 
with safety, much less with a good relish. 

In cooking vegetables, the following general rules will be 
of service ; and by a careful observance of them, there will 
be less need of seasoning, to cover up the insipid taste — or 
rather, lack of taste — that comes from wasting the fine 
flavors that belong to them. 

1. If possible, have all your vegetables fresh ; when stale 
they lose their natural sweetness, as well as their nutritive 
qualities. Peas and corn especially, should be cooked the 
day they are gathered ; certainly never later than the fol- 
lowing morning. 

2. Boil in soft, pure water, if you have it ; should the 
water be muddy, either filter it, or boil and settle before 
using. 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 171 

3. For most vegetables, boil in no more water than will 
cook them ; in other words, leave none to drain off, or most 
of the sweetness will be lost. 

4 Boil rapidly — or steam rapidly ; no slow cooking to 
soak out the juices. 

5. As a rule, do not soak the vegetables before cooking, 
particularly if newly gathered. If actually wilted with the 
hot sun, some kinds (as cabbage, cauliflower, etc.) may be 
improved by lying half an hour in very cold water. But 
ordinarily, that which requires soaking to make it palatable, 
should be thrown away. 

6. Gook till done, and not a moment longer. 

7. Do not scorch in finishing ; the moment a vegetable is 
scorched, its sweetness is gone forever. 

8. Serve nearly all vegetables after they have cooled a 
little ; habituate yourself to this, and you will find that the 
flavor is much more delicate than when eaten hot. 

9. Look at the quality of the article you buy ; there is a 
great difference in " families," not only among people and 
animals, but among plants. It is well, first of all, to look 
after their pedigree, and then, their "bringing up"; it 
takes good stock and good rearing, to secure the best results. 
If you make your own garden, plant only the best seed. 

10. When you bring the vegetables from market put 
them in a cool, clean place in the cellar, till the cook wants 
them. This means a well-kept cellar, with a cool north room 
in it, thoroughly ventilated. 

11. Charge your grocer, and the market men, not to leave 
their potatoes and other vegetables standing for hours in 
the sunshine, or even near a window, as a strong light 
injures them. Potatoes should always be kept in a dry, 
dark place. (See Hints on Marketing.) 

12. Keep one or two porcelain kettles specially for vege- 
tables, as many kinds can hardly be cooked in iron without 
being discolored. And if you must use iron pots, keep 



172 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

them clean and dry ; never let them stand round with water 
or slops in them. Beware of earthen or stone vessels ; they 
are often lined with lead glaze, which is very poisonous, 

The Potato. 

When we consider that the potato is perhaps the most 
valuable of all the vegetables, it is quite remarkable that so 
few persons know how to cook it properly. And it is equally 
strange that not one farmer in ten understands how to grow 
it as it should be.* Many potatoes are badly injured by 
not being dug as soon as they are ripe ; they lie in the 
ground till they are injured by rains which start them to 
« growing," and make them watery. A further damage is 
done by the grocer or huckster, who exposes them to the 
light and often to the sunshine, until they are strong to the 
taste, and almost green in color. So that by the time this 
vegetable has passed through the hands of the farmer, the 
market -man, the grocer and the cook, it is no longer the 
fine mealy potato that we relished in childhood. 

Potatoes in Jackets. =J= 

Select potatoes of nearly uniform size, and wash quickly, 
keeping them in the water as short a time as possible. If 
there are large ones, cut them through the middle. In wet 
seasons they are often hollow in the center, in which case 
you must cut them open and trim out the hollow part. 
After washing, clip off a little at each end (it will make 
them drier), and remove any blemishes ; and just twenty 
minutes before the bell rings for dinner, drop the potatoes 
into boiling water, having about two-thirds enough to cover 
them, and boil rapidly till done. The very instant a fork 
will pierce them easily, lift from the fire ; if they boil a 



* See Dr. John McLaurin's little work entitled, "The Model Potato.'' 
For sale by Fowler & Wells. Price 50 cents. 






PAKT II.] VEGETABLES. 173 

minute too long they lose their fine flavor, and are more or 
less watery. In cold weather, set the tureen and its cover 
where they will get warm ; and when the potatoes are done 
pour off all the water, hoiding the lid rather loosely over the 
top of the pot. Then shut closely to retain the steam, and 
set the pot back in a hot place ; keep it closed till the pota- 
toes are wanted, which should be immediately. In dishing 
into the tureen do it quickly (some lay a folded napkin 
in the bottom of it to absorb the moisture), and put on its 
lid. Always cover between servings, or those helped last 
will get cold potatoes. 

Boiled Potatoes. — (Peeled.) =$= 

Potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, should never stand in water; 
it gives them a washed-out taste, and makes them wet. It 
is better therefore in preparing (if they are not actually 
muddy), to peel before wetting them, and then wash as 
quickly as possible, trimming off any little defects afterward; 
the large ones you may cut through the middle. Twenty 
minutes before sitting down to table, drop the potatoes into 
boiling water, cover closely, and boil fast; have little more 
than enough water to cook them. The moment a fork will 
go through them, take the pot from the fire, and drain as 
dry as possible; then return it to the stove, tightly closed, 
and set in a hot place where any remaining moisture will be 
converted into steam. Having warmed the tureen and its 
lid, dish quickly, cover at once, and send directly to the 
table; keep the lid on between servings. When a large 
quantity is cooked together, the potatoes can be kept fresh 
for a long time in their own steam, by setting the vessel iu 
a hot place and keeping it tightly covered; the hot steam 
preserves them dry and mealy. The best place for a potato 
to " dry out " is not in the pot, but on one's plate, between 
serving and eating. 



174 health in the household. [part ii. 

Mashed Potatoes. =|= 

Peel and boil the potatoes, as per recipe just given; and 
as soon as a fork will go through them, drain off all the 
water. Set the pot back in a hot place, and mash imme- 
diately; the moisture will evaporate while you crush them. 
When free from lumps, beat with a fork till they are white 
and flaky. Do all this very quickly; then dish lightly into 
a hot tureen, cover closely, and send to the table. Avoid 
filling the dish too full, or pressing down the potatoes with 
a spoon; but leave them as light and feathery as possible. 
In serving, do not skim over the top, but begin at one side 
and cut through to the bottom, leaving the mass of the 
potato undisturbed; then remove the spoon and adjust the 
cover, to keep in the heat till the next serving. 

Model-Cooked Potatoes. 

This recipe is from the late Dr. Trail's new cook-book. 
For potatoes that are good cooked with the skins on (not 
too old or sunburnt), the method here described is no doubt 
a good one; it requires more time and a steadier heat than 
the ordinary way : 

"Select potatoes of uniform size; wash quickly in cold 
water, without cutting; put them in a kettle, or tight-lidded 
sauce-pan, filling the vessel about two-thirds full; cover 
tightly, and cook them in their own juices. They should 
be put in an oven, or over a fire sufficiently hot to convert 
the water they contain into steam. As soon as softened, 
they can be peeled and placed on the table, or served with 
their skins on. Cooked in this manner, potatoes have a rich- 
ness of flavor unknown to any other method." 

Steamed Potatoes. 

Potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cook very nicely in a 
steamer. The water should be boiling and the steamer hot, 



PART II. j VEGETABLES. 175 

before they are put in ; and they should cook rapidly till 
done. If they can not be served immediately, leave them 
in the steamer, keeping it closely covered till they are 
wanted. 

Browned Mashed Potato.+ 

Take cold mashed potato, and crush a second time till 
there are no lumps; then fill a pie-pan or other shallow 
dish (not too full), smooth the top with a knife, place in a 
hot oven, and brown quickly. Serve as soon as done. 
Another method is to form into little biscuits hardly an 
inch thick, and brown as before. The potato sticks to- 
gether better, if moistened with a little milk. 

Browned Sliced Potatoes.=(= 

Take cold boiled potatoes, clip off the wet ends, and peel 
if they are in jackets, throwing out any faulty ones; then 
slice into a skillet or pie-pan, oiled just enough to keep 
them from sticking, and set where they will brown quickly 
without scorching. As soon as a thin crust forms at the 
bottom, turn them over, and brown again in the same man- 
ner; then dish, and serve immediately. Potatoes warmed 
over in this way, are dry, crisp and flaky; but if allowed 
to stand before serving, either in the skillet or tureen, they 
become wet and clammy. 

Cold mashed potatoes may be warmed over in the same 
way. 

Stewed Potatoes. 

Potatoes can be cooked on short notice, as follows: Wash, 
peel and slice into a skillet or stew-pan; put in as little 
boiling water as will cook them, and stew covered, ten to 
fifteen minutes; when done, the water should all be evap- 
orated. Dish, and serve immediately. 



176 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 



Baked Potatoes. =[= 

Select smooth potatoes of nearly uniform size, and wash 
thoroughly but quickly, not allowing them to stand in the 
water. Pare off any defects, and place them in a moderate 
oven, spacing a little apart. If baked too fast they will 
blister, and not be good; they may require turning once or 
twice. The very moment they are done, take a clean nap- 
kin and crush each one in the hand — not into a shapeless 
mass, but enough to puncture the skin and let out the 
steam. Then lay them in an open tureen, and send to the 
table. 

A baked potato, to be first-rate, should be eaten as soon 
as done. When this is impossible, the next best thing is to 
crush each as here described, and keep them in a warm 
place till wanted. 

Baked Potatoes. — (Peeled.) ^= 

Peel the potatoes, wash quickly, lifting them out of the 
water as soon as possible, and place a little apart on the 
grate; the oven should be hot enough to brown moderately 
without scorching. When done, crush each in a napkin, as 
described in the last recipe ; just enough to crack the crust 
and let out the steam. Put them on a plate, or into an 
open tureen, and serve. 

Old potatoes, if baked, should always be peeled before- 
hand. 

Roasted Potatoes. 

Wash clean, cover with ashes not too hot, and then with 
coals; these will need renewing occasionally, unless the roast- 
ing is done very near the main fire. Potatoes cooked in 
this way are dry, mealy, and rich in flavor. 



PART H.] VEGETABLES. 177 



Sweet Potatoes. 4= 



In buying, see that they are not covered over with little 
sprouts; these are caused by heavy rains, which have start- 
ed the potatoes to " growing " ; in this condition they are 
injured in flavor, and inclined to be watery. 

Sweet potatoes are best either boiled or steamed, and 
then browned in the oven. First, wash and trim them, 
clipping off black or straggling ends; should any be partly 
decayed, throw them out. If you boil, use as little water 
(boiling) as will cook them; this makes them drier and 
sweeter; then cook rapidly, until a fork will go through 
them rather easily. When done, strip off the skins; if be- 
neath these, and about the ends of the potatoes, you find 
a dark substance deposited (due to wet weather), remove 
that also, as " it is very indigestible. Place in a hot oven, 
and brown thoroughly about twenty minutes; or if rather 
wet, they may remain in half an hour. 

If you steam before finishing in the oven, cook till the 
potatoes are tender, and then peel and brown as before. 
The chief error to guard against in cooking this vegetable, 
is in boiling or steaming it too much, making it watery; or 
in taking it out before it is fairly done, which renders it 
harsh and unpalatable. 

Browned Sweet Potatoes. =J= 

Take sweet potatoes left from the previous meal, and if 
they have not been peeled remove the skins; then mash 
fine, spread on a pie-pan, and brown in a brisk oven from 
fifteen to twenty minutes; they are quite as good as fresh. 

Another way is to slice instead of mashing, and then 
brown; or you may lay them in the oven whole, after re- 
moving the skins. 



178 health in the household. [part ii. 

Dried Sweet Potatoes. 

First steam or boil the potatoes, then peel, cut in slices, 
and dry. To cook them, soak the dried pieces over night 
in a closed vessel, having as little water as will cover them; 
then heat in the same water, mashing and stirring them un- 
til it is all evaporated. They should be as dry as possible 
when done. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes. 

Sweet potatoes if smooth, and free from blemishes, may 
be simply washed, and baked in a hot oven; when they are 
rather wet, this is a good way, as it makes them drier than 
if boiled. A better method perhaps, is to put them into a 
shallow pan, add a trifle of boiling water, and let them steam 
a little, before they bake. 

Tomatoes, etc. 

Tomatoes, melons, squashes and pumpkins, dietetically 
considered, must be classed among vegetables, from the 
simple fact that they are more easily digested with these 
than with fruits. Green corn also — which is an immature 
grain — does, if anything, better with vegetables, though it 
can be eaten with either. 

The tomato is one of the best and most wholesome of 
the garden products; the Trophy and Livingston are fine 
varieties. 

Sliced Tomatoes.=§= 

Wash good fresh tomatoes, not too ripe, and peel without 
scalding; then slice very thin, and send to the table. If 
preferred cold, let them stand in ice-water half an hour, 
before peeling; or you may set them in the refrigerator 
after they are sliced. They are good enough without 
seasoning. 



part ii.] vegetables. 179 

Stewed Tomatoes.=|= 

Pour over the tomatoes boiling water, and as soon as the 
skins will slip, remove them; slice very thin into a porcelain 
kettle, and set on the stove; do not add any water. Let 
them come to a boil, and cook slowly half to three-quarters 
of an hour; fast cooking destroys their fine flavor. Some 
prefer them stewed longer, until perfectly smooth. 

Stewed Tomatoes. =§= 

Wash, scald, peel and slice, as in the preceding recipe; 
add no water; crumb stale bread — good home-made Gra- 
ham loaf — into the cold tomatoes, pour all into a porcelain 
kettle, and heat to boiling; then set them back a little, 
where they will stew slowly at least an hour and a half; stir 
frequently, till done. Instead of ordinary bread-crumbs, 
you may take bits of brown toast; or in place of either, 
stir in a little thickening of Graham flour and water, before 
heating. 

A good dish is made by adding one-fourth as much green 
corn as there are tomatoes; slice the latter very thin, and 
stew till smooth; then stir in the com, thinly shaven, and 
stew or bake half an hour. 

Tomato Toast. 

Stew the tomatoes as in the last recipe but one, cooking 
till they are fine and smooth. Then take thin slices of loaf 
bread, and brown evenly till it is quite dry. Pour the hot 
stewed tomatoes over the toast, and when cooled a little, 
serve. 

Baked Tomatoes. =4= 

"Wash, but do not scald the tomatoes; see that they are 

fresh. Then peel and slice, and add about half as much 

broken bread as there are tomatoes; a small portion finely 

grated, and the rest in large crumbs or crusty pieces; some 

* 13 



180 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

add a little chopped onion. Mix thoroughly, pour into a 
granitized iron pan, and bake in a slow oven two hours; 
brown well at the last. This dish, prepared with good 
home-made Graham loaf (stale), is excellent; the long slow 
baking makes it rich in flavor. 

Baked Tomatoes. 

Wash, scald, peel and slice, add crumbs of stale bread, 
or slices of nicely browned toast, and stew slowly three- 
quarters of an hour; stir often; then turn into a dish, and 
bake one hour in a moderate oven. 

Another method is to wash and peel the tomatoes, re- 
moving the hard portions about the stems; then fill the 
cavities with fine bread-crumbs, arrange in a pudding-dish, 
cover, and set in the oven. Bake half an hour, then un- 
cover, and brown ten minutes. 



Tomatoes with Corn. 

Scald, peel and slice, as in the last recipe, and cook in a 
porcelain kettle half an hour; then add one-third or one- 
fourth the quantity of green corn finely shaven, as per 
recipe (Corn and Tomatoes) described farther on; or you 
may, if preferred, split the grains with a knife, and scrape 
out the pulp. Put the corn in with the tomatoes, and stew 
slowly from forty to fifty minutes; do not let the mixture 
stick to the bottom. 

Or, instead of stewing, turn the whole into an oiled pud- 
ding-dish ; cover, and bake in a moderate oven three-quar- 
ters of an hour. Then uncover, and brown ten minutes. 

Scrambled Tomatoes. 4= 

Peel without scalding the tomatoes, and cut them in 
rather large bits ; they should not be too ripe. If of me- 
dium size you may cut each in two, half way between the 
stem and blossom ; then cut again, once or twice, in the 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 181 

other direction. Add half or two-thirds the quantity of 
coarse bread-crumbs, from good home-made Graham loaf ; 
these should be stale. Then put all into a porcelain kettle, 
set it over a hot fire, and cook about five minutes, stirring 
lightly, but almost constantly. Lift into a tureen, and send 
to the table. An excellent dish. 

Scalloped Tomatoes. 

Prepare and slice the tomatoes, not too thin, and put a 
layer of them in the bottom of a pudding-dish ; then alter- 
nate with a layer of bread-crumbs, or with thin slices of 
toast ; continue till the dish is filled, letting the topmost 
layer be tomatoes. Cover with an old plate, and bake in a 
slow oven about an hour ; then uncover, and brown ten 
minutes. Some bake an hour and a half, or longer if the 
scallop is deep. 

Canned Tomatoes. 

These may be stewed, baked, scrambled or scalloped, as 
in the preceding recipes ; or in warm spring days, they 
may be eaten cold from the can. 

If baked, the following is a good method : Drain off the 
liquor, and pour it over stale bread-crumbs. Then cover 
the bottom of a wide earthen dish with some dry crumbs, 
put in a layer of tomatoes, and over this the crumbs wet 
with the liquor. Cover with a plate, and bake from forty 
to fifty minutes. 

Baked Winter Squashes. =§= 

Winter squashes may be either stewed, steamed or 
baked ; the hard-shell varieties are best for baking. Wash 
them, and break in pieces with a hatchet ; or, if the shell is 
soft enough, cut in halves and remove the seeds ; cut again 
into pieces of convenient size, and lay them, shell down- 
ward, in a shallow dish or bread-pan ; pour in a little boil- 



182 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

ing water to start with, place in a pretty hot oven, and bake 
from one to two hours, or until soft ; the squash should be 
dry and mealy when done. 

Stewed Winter Squashes. 4= 

"Wash, cut in halves, and remove the seeds ; then slice 
and pare ; cut into pieces an inch long, and put them in a 
stew-pan. Add a little boiling water, say nearly a pint to a 
gallon of the cut squash ; if not very ripe, use less water. 
Cook fast from forty to sixty minutes, or until tender, not 
letting the vessel get entirely dry ; should more water be 
needed, add it boiling hot. As soon as the pieces are soft 
lift the lid, and let any surplus moisture evaporate ; then 
mash fine, simmer a few minutes, and dish for the table. 
Serve warm, not hot. 

Steaming is a good way to cook squashes ; if they have 
hard shells, prepare as follows : Cut into rather large pieces 
with a hatchet, and steam in the shell till soft ; then scrape 
out, and send to the table. Or, if the shell will permit, cut 
in slices, remove the seeds, and peel ; place in a closed 
steamer over boiling water, and cook till soft ; then turn 
into a porcelain kettle with any water that remains, and 
evaporate it by frequent stirring, over a pretty hot fire ; 
mash fine, dish and serve. 

Summer Squashes.=§= 

If necessary, peel the squashes and remove the seeds ; 
some varieties when very young, scarcely require either ; 
the kind called the cymling needs paring, unless it is very 
young and fresh. Wash, cut in small pieces, and steam or 
stew. For stewing, put them into a porcelain kettle with 
boiling water enough to cook them, and allow for stewing, 
half to three-quarters of an hour ; some kinds cook quicker 
than others. When soft lift the lid, letting the water nearly 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 183 

all evaporate. A little cream added at the last, makes a 
good seasoning* 

An excellent variety of summer squash is one with a long 
crooked neck — it is nearly all neck — and about the color of a 
ripe orange ; it has a rough, warty surface, but it is very 
tender and delicious ; if young, it needs no peeling. 

Pumpkin. 

After washing, cut in halves, then slice and peel, removing 
the seeds ; you may steam, or stew. To steam, put the slices 
into a closed steamer, and cook from an hour to an hour 
and a half, or until soft ; then turn into a porcelain kettle, 
mash smooth, and simmer with the lid off till the water has 
mostly evaporated. 

If to be stewed, cut the slices in small pieces, and cook 
the same as squash, only a little longer ; say an hour and a 
quarter to an hour and a half ; never long enough to turn 
the pumpkin dark in color, as this injures its flavor. If a 
little unripe it will be more watery, and will need longer 
cooking. After mashing, stir frequently to prevent burning. 

Turnips. + 

Wash, pare, and cut in slices half an inch thick ; if any 
of the turnips are coarse, stringy or pithy, throw them out ; 
then stew or steam. If stewed, put an old saucer or a small 
pie-pan, inverted, into the bottom of the kettle to keep the 
turnips from scorching ; add boning water enough to cook 
them, and boil fast until quite soft. 

Young turnips that have grown quickly, will cook in 
thirty to forty minutes ; while old tough ones require nearly 
or quite double the time. The best, test, however, is the 
fork ; as soon as they are thoroughly tender, remove from 
the fire ; too much cooking not only discolors, but also 
makes them strong. There must be very little water left in 
when done ; mash fine, and simmer a few moments, un- 



184 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

covered, before dishing. Serve lukewarm. Two or three 
potatoes cooked and mashed with the turnips, give an agree- 
able flavor. If any seasoning is required, stir in a trifle of 
cream just as you set them off. 

Swedish, or ruta-baga turnips, need a much longer time 
to cook than the white ones ; they should have all of two 
hours. A little cream added in the finishing, improves their 
flavor. If you steam, cook till soft, turn into a porcelain 
kettle, and if too much water remains, evaporate it ; then 
mash as fine as possible. 

Parsnips. =§= 

Wash well, and scrape with a knife to remove the skins ; 
then cut the parsnips into halves or quarters, and stew till 
quite soft, in very little more water than will cook them. It 
will take from forty to fifty minutes, longer if they are old ; 
do not let them get dry ; there should be at least a gill of 
water remaining, when done. Then put them into a pie-pan 
or shallow earthen dish, and pour over the syrup that is left 
in the pot ; place in a hot oven, baste frequently, and brown 
well before sending to the table. Another way is to masli 
fine, return to the pot, and finish with cream. 

Carrots. 

Prepare and cook the same as parsnips, only about twice 
as long. There is a small variety called the "Early Horn," 
that is ready for use in July ; it cooks tender in an hour, 
and is very sweet. It may be boiled in the same pot with 
young beets. 

ASPARAGUS.+ 

Be sure the asparagus is fresh. If bought in the city 
market, lay it in cold water and let it soak a short time, be- 
fore cooking; then cut off any tough portions, put the 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 185 

stalks into a porcelain kettle, start in boiling water, and 
stew till tender. If fresh from the garden, twenty-five to 
thirty minutes ought to suffice ; but much of it that we buy 
requires from forty to fifty minutes. Boil in enough water 
to about cover ; if young, it is good enough without season- 
ing. 

Some hygienists think this vegetable is not very whole- 
some ; they claim that it, like onions, is so largely thrown 
off through the excretory organs as to tax them abnormally. 
Most of the asparagus sold in our city markets, is too old 
before it is cut ; instead of gathering it every day or two, 
the custom seems to be to cut the stalks only once or twice 
a week, and a good distance below the surface of the 
ground ; this gives five or six inches of hard, woody fiber, 
and one inch of inferior tops. Those who understand 
raising asparagus, say it should be cut with a knife as often 
at least as every other morning, and barely below the surface 
of the ground ; and some recommend snapping or breaking 
it off. This would remove the tender part only ; but if left 
too long, all the stalk toughens, except the very tip end. 
AYhen quite young, green and tender, it is sometimes boiled 
as greens, and served with lemon juice. 

Asparagus Toast. =f= 

Cook the asparagus as in the last recipe; before it is 
quite done, slice some good Graham bread, rather stale, 
and toast it evenly. When ready, dip the slices quickly 
into boiling water, and arrange them on a platter ; then lift 
out the asparagus and lay it on the toast. Thicken the 
water in which it boiled with a little cream and flour, heat 
almost to boiling, and pour it over. Or, if preferred, you 
may omit the thickening, lay the asparagus on the toast, and 
moisten with the liquor left in the pot. 



186 health in the household. [part h. 

Stewed Cabbage. =§= 

Trim off the outside leaves, see that there are no insects, 
and wash the head carefully ; if wilted, soak half an hour in 
very cold water. Then cut it in halves, and with a sharp, 
thin knife slice it very fine, without chopping, and stew or 
steam quickly. Slow cooking spoils this vegetable ; so does 
cooking it too long. If it is to be stewed — and this is the bet- 
ter way — put it in a porcelain kettle, and add just enough 
boiling water to cook it ; it should be done in half an hour. 
Boil as fast as possible, keeping the kettle covered ; the 
moment it is tender lift from the fire, and dish into an open 
tureen ; the water should be about all evaporated. Let it 
stand uncovered till lukewarm, and then send to the table. 
Cooked in this way the cabbage is white, crisp and sweet ; 
of course it is delicious. 

If preferred, you may trim and wash, cut in quarters, and 
then steam or boil as before. 

Caulifl ower. =|= 

Remove the green leaves, and clip off the stalks an inch 
or two below the flowers ; part the latter to see that no in- 
sects are hidden among them, wash well, and if not directly 
from the garden soak in cold water half an hour. Then 
drop into boiling water, and cook the same as cabbage, 
taking it from the fire the moment it is thoroughly tender ; 
it will be done in about thirty minutes. Stew in a porcelain 
kettle ; there should be very little water left when it is set 
off. 

If you buy in the market, select the heads that are pure 
white ; those that are tinged with yellow or brown, are stale. 

Spinach, etc.=J= 

Spinach, cabbage sprouts, and mustard leaves, are good 
for greens ; and turnip tops, young beet tops, dandelions, 



PaRT II.] VEGETABLES. 187 

leaves of narrow dock, etc., will do to mix with the others. 
It will take a peck, for a family of five or six persons. Look 
over every leaf carefully, to avoid worms or insects, and 
wash very thoroughly in several waters, lifting the leaves 
out each time with the hands, to get rid of sediment. Boil 
in plenty of water till quite tender — young spinach will 
cook in from twenty to thirty minutes — and when done, 
take out the greens with two forks placed side by side ; 
this leaves any sand or grit behind. Then drain, cool to 
lukewarm, and cut fine with a knife before sending to the 
table. Serve with lemon juice — or pass the lemons, cut in 
quarters. 

Boiled Beets. =|= 

Select beets of nearly uniform size, and twist off the tops; 
if young, you may leave on an inch or two of the stems ; then 
wash well, taking care not to cut or break the skins or rootlets, 
lest the juices should escape. Drop into boiling water, and 
cook till very tender ; you may allow from one to two hours, or 
longer, according to size and age. Prick as little as possi- 
ble, as it wastes the sweetness ; and boil in about as much 
water as will cook them. When soft, remove the lid, and 
let the water that remains evaporate ; then lift out the beets, 
and when nearly cold, slip off the skins. Slice thin, and 
serve with lemon juice ; dilute the juice by adding half 
water, and pour it over after they are sliced and cold ; do 
this ten or fifteen minutes before sending to the table. 
Prepared in this way, they are excellent. If young, sweet 
and tender, some like them without a dressing. 

Baked Beets. 

Prepare as for boiling, and bake till quite tender. If of 
good size, it will require three or four hours ; when done, 
drop into cold water, and slip off the skins. Slice after the 



188 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

beets are cold, and serve with diluted lemon juice, as in the 
preceding recipe. 

String Beans. =J= 

Select only the tender varieties, and see that they are 
fresh from the garden. If recently gathered, the stems will 
not be shriveled. String the beans carefully, and snap into 
short pieces ; then wash well, drop into boiling water, and 
stew till very tender in as little water as will cook them. 
If bought in the city market, it will take an hour and a half 
or two hours ; and the wax beans need half an hour longer; 
the water should be about all evaporated, at the last. New 
potatoes, dropped in half an hour before finishing, improve 
their flavor ; and a little sweet cream thickened with a trifle 
of flour, and stirred in just before you lift them from the 
fire, is considered a further improvement. When done, 
turn into an open tureen, and let them cool a little before 
serving. 

Fresh Garden Beans.=|= 

Shell them from the pods, drop into boiling water, and 
stew till tender, having thern rather juicy when done ; they 
ought to cook in about an hour. If seasoning is required, 
a little cream thickened with flour maybe stirred in; cover, 
and heat through, then dish, and send to the table. 

Lima Beans. =J= 

Fresh Lima beans are cooked as in the preceding recipe. 
Dried Limas should be dropped into boiling water, and 
parboiled fifteen or twenty minutes ; then pour off the 
water, add more boiling hot, and cook till tender, but not 
till they fall to pieces ; it will require from two to three 
hours, according to age. A little cream and flour, stirred 
in a minute before lifting from the fire, is the only dressing 
admissible ; and they are good without any. See that the 
water is about all evaporated, before adding the thickening. 



part ii.] vegetables. 189 

Boiled Dried Beans. =§= 

Look the beans over carefully, throwing out the faulty 
ones, and wash in two waters, rubbing them well between 
the fingers ; then start in boiling water, and cook till soft. 
Allow from two to three hours, or longer, according to age 
and variety ; they should not be cooked to pieces. If more 
water is needed, add it boiling hot ; only a little should re- 
main when they are done. Never soak beans ; it makes the 
skins slip off whole, and they are very indigestible. 

White beans, unless they are quite old, should not be 
parboiled ; the speckled cranberry and other colored beans, 
which are rather strong in flavor, are best parboiled fifteen 
or twenty minutes — not longer. Then pour the water off, 
and add more, boiling hot ; cook till perfectly tender, but 
not till they are broken ; allow water enough to make them 
a little moist, when done. No seasoning is needed. 

Baked Beans. =f= 

Prepare as in the preceding recipe, then boil till very soft 
and half broken to pieces; for most dried beans, it will require 
all of three hours. Let them be quite juicy when taken from 
the fire ; then turn into a deep dish, cover, and bake rather 
slowly two to three hours, or until they are of a rich brown 
color. Do not scorch them in finishing. 

Baked Beans. 

Prepare as before, and boil till quite tender, but not till 
the beans are broken ; the water should be nearly all evap- 
orated. Then mash fine with a potato masher, put into a 
shallow pan, and smooth off the top with a knife. Set them 
into a hot oven and bake half an hour, or until nicely 
browned. Cold beans are good, mashed and baked in the 
same way. 



190 health in the household. [part ii. 

Steamed Dried Beans. 

Beans may be put into a closed steamer, cooked till ten- 
der, and then served ; or after steaming you may bake, as 
in the preceding recipe. 

Stewed Dried Beans. 

Look over and wash white beans, put into cold water, and 
let them come almost to a boil. Then place where they wall 
simmer without boiling, and continue the process till quite 
tender ; allow just enough water to make them a little juicy 
when done. They must not bubble once while cooking ; it 
will take from two to three hours, according to age and 
variety. 

Green Corn. 

Green corn, though usually ranked among vegetables, is, 
strictly speaking, a grain in the immature state ; and like 
the other grains, it may be eaten with either fruits or vege- 
tables. The only thing about it that interferes with diges- 
tion, is the hull, which with a little care may practically be 
gotten rid of. 

Boiled Green Corn.=j= 

The best corn for table use, is the evergreen ; that knovm 
as " Stowell's," is a good variety. If you can not get the 
evergreen, the white flint is good. Select ears that are well 
fined, but young and tender ; if the right age, the milk 
should spurt out in a jet when the grain is pierced 
with the finger nail. Green corn should, if possible, be 
cooked and eaten the day it is gathered, as it loses its 
sweetness in a few hours. Remove the husks and 
silk — or a better way is said to be, to tear off all 
but the inner husks, turn these back, and pick off the silk ; 
then pull them over the ear again, tying with a thread at 
the top. Start in boiling water— not too much, as it wastes 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 191 

tlie sweetness — and boil from twenty to twenty-five min- 
utes. When done, drop the ears into a basin of cold water; 
this makes the hulls tender and the corn white ; in two or 
three minutes lift them out, lay in a tureen, cover, and send 
to the table. Before eating, split the rows with a sharp 
knife, cutting only the surface of the grains ; this is done by 
drawing the knife through each row of corn lengthwise, be- 
ginning at the larger end of the ear. Splitting the grains, 
allows the kernels to escape from the hulls, leaving the 
latter on the cob. 

If preferred, you may split the grains and scrape out 
with a knife, before eating. 



Stewed Green Corn.=§= 

Select corn that is young enough to scrape easily from 
the cob ; after splitting the grains with a sharp knife and 
scraping out the pulp, put it into a stew-pan or porcelain 
kettle, add a little boiling water, and set it over the fire 
where it will cook rapidly. Stir constantly to keep it from 
sticking, and stew ten minutes or until dene. No seasoning 
is needed. 

Canned Corn. 

Select the best brands ; the " Oneida Community," 
Oneida, N. Y., is a good one ; and so is the " Loomis, 
Allen & Co.," Cicero, N. Y. The corn put up by these es- 
tablishments is best evergreen ; it is as fresh, white and 
luscious, as if just from the field. To prepare it for the 
table, put it into a clean porcelain kettle, cover closely to 
prevent its juices from evaporating, and place over a moder- 
ate fire until it is thoroughly heated through (it must not 
ooil), then dish, and serve. It is good enough without the 
addition of milk or cream. 



192 health in the household. [part ii. 

Corn and Tomatoes.=J= 

Peel and slice the tomatoes, and cook slowly half an hour. 
Then prepare the corn as follows, having it young and ten- 
der : With a thin, sharp knife shave off the tip ends of the 
grains, and throw them away. Then slice the rest very 
thin, until most of the corn (say three-fourths of it) is re- 
moved from the cob, and with a dull knife scrape out the 
remainder. Put it in with the cooked tomatoes, and stew 
rather slowly half an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent 
sticking ; then dish. 

Another way is to take equal quantities of sliced tomatoes 
and corn cut from the cob, and stew them together thirty 
to forty minutes ; the heat must be moderate. 

SUCC0TASH.=|= 

Boil white beans — Limas are best — until they are soft, but 
not broken ; have water enough when done to make them 
rather juicy. Select good sweet corn, young and tender, cut 
it from the cob, not too closely, and scrape out what re- 
mains with a dull knife. Add the corn to the beans (two 
parts of the former to one of the latter), and stew over a 
moderate fire twenty to thirty minutes. Stir occasionally, 
and see that the mixture does not scorch. 

Another way to prepare this dish, is to boil string beans 
(the wax beans are best for this purpose) until they are 
nearly tender ; it will take about an hour and a half. Then 
add the cut corn, and cook half an hour. 

In making succotash, dried beans can be used, but those 
fresh from the garden are better ; and in the absence of 
fresh green corn, canned corn may be substituted. Cook 
this very little, say ten minutes, after adding it to the beans 



part h.] vegetables. 193 

Roasted Green Corn. 

Remove the husks and silk, and lay the ears on the grate 
in a hot oven ; or you may roast over hot coals, or before 
the fire. 

Stewed Dried Corn.=|= 

Soak in a closed vessel over night, in water enough to 
cover the corn. Cook in the same water, simmering slowly 
fifteen or twenty minutes ; it must not T^oil • then dish for the 
table. 

Green Peas.=§= 

Green peas lose their sweetness very soon after they are 
gathered ; they should if possible, be cooked the same day. 
When perfectly fresh, the little stems are green and un- 
shriveled. There is a great difference of flavor in the 
several varieties ; among the early peas, the Champion of 
England is the very best ; among the later, the Marrowfats 
are unexcelled. 

Having selected the best in the market, shell without 
washing them, and boil moderately thirty to forty minutes ; 
if young, thirty minutes is long enough ; have only a little 
more water than enough to cook them. If a dressing- 
is wanted, evaporate most of the water remaining, and 
add a spoonful or two of cream ; you may thicken this 
if you like, with a trifle of flour ; then stir all together, 
simmer a moment, and take the pot from the fire. The 
thickened cream and the concentrated juice of the peas, 
form a rich and excellent gravy. Some, however, prefer 
them boiled simply in water, and eaten without further 
dressing than the liquor that remains after cooking. Serve 
in sauce dishes, passing the teaspoons. 

Dried Peas. 

If peas are gathered while young and tender, and care- 
fully dried, they make a good dish for winter. Boil the 



194 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

same as green peas, except that they require a much longer 
time. They may be served plain, or finished with a dress- 
ing of cream. 

Split Peas. 

Prepare and cook the same as dried beans, either by boil- 
ing or steaming ; see that they are cooked till tender, but 
not to pieces. It will take about two hours. 

Or you may stew them in this way : Put the peas into 
cold water, and let them come almost to a boil. Then set 
the pot back, where it will gently simmer without boiling ; 
if it bubbles at all, the fine flavor will escape, and the extra 
labor be lost. As soon as soft, the peas are done ; the flavor 
is much richer than when cooked in the ordinary way. 

Onions. 

Onions are perhaps questionable, as an article of wholesome 
food. If eaten, they may be cooked as follows : Cut off the 
tops and rootlets, remove the outer skins, and put the onions 
into a porcelain kettle with cold water enough to cover. 
Set them over the fire, parboil fifteen minutes, and pour off 
the water ; cover again — this time with boiling — and par- 
boil fifteen minutes longer. Then drain off the water, pour 
in a little more, boiling hot, add the same quantity of milk, 
and cook slowly till tender, but not till they fall to pieces. 
When done, pour off the milk and water, and either serve 
without a dressing, or finish with a little cream thickened 
with white flour. Some varieties of onions need less par- 
boiling than others. 

Lettuce. 

Lettuce, to be good, must be young and tender, and fresh 
from the garden. Trim off the defective leaves, look it 
over carefully, wash clean, and let it stand in very cold 
water fifteen or twenty minutes. Then send to the table 



PART II.] VEGETABLES. 195 

with fresh lemon juice for dressing ; or, cut the lemons in 
quarters, and pass them. 

Celery. 

Select stalks that are young and tender, and newly gath- 
ered. Wash well, and let them He in cold water half an 
hour ; then trim carefully, leaving on a few green leaves, 
and send to the table. 

Cucumbers. 

Cucumbers to be fit for eating, must be very young, and 
fresh from the vines ; the smaller ones are generally the 
best. If bought in the markets, select those that are green 
and white in color, with no tinge of yellow, and see that 
they are firm to the touch ; the others are stale. After 
peeling, lay in very cold water half an hour, to make them 
crisp ; then slice as thin as possible, and pour lemon juice 
over them ; it may be diluted slightly with water, if too 
acid for the taste. 

Served in this way, fresh cucumbers are quite harmless 
to healthy stomachs. 

Boiled Chestnuts. 

Look them over, one at a time, to see if all are sound ; 
then drop into boiling water, and cook till done. Fresh 
chestnuts will boil sufficiently in fifteen or twenty minutes ; 
if older, they may need a little longer time. Let them 
remain in the hot water till wanted ; then remove the shells 
with a sharp knife. 

Koasted Chestnuts. 

Select carefully, as before, and cut a slit crosswise in the 

shell of each, to prevent its bursting when hot. Put them 

into a pan, and place over a charcoal or other fire ; shake or 

stir them to prevent scorching, and remove as soon as done. 

14 



196 health in the household. [part ii. 

Melons. 

Melons, when eaten, should be perfectly fresh. The great 
mortality resulting from their use in cities, is due, not to 
the melons per se, but to their being eaten stale ; hence, the 
imported article, as well as those that have been long in the 
market, should be strictly avoided. 



"Watermelons. 

Watermelons, to be fine, must be of good variety and well 
grown ; they should be neither underripe nor overripe, and 
should always be fresh. 

Put on ice, if you have it, several hours before serving, 
to make them crisp and cold. They should be eaten before 
the meal, or at the beginning of it ; and they should never 
be served at the same meal with fruits. 

Cantaloupes. 

Like watermelons, muskmelons, and cantaloupes are per- 
fectly wholesome if eaten fresh ; but as found in our city 
markets they are usually stale, having been pulled several 
days ; eaten in this condition they are a prolific cause of 
cholera morbus, and other kindred diseases. In selecting, 
notice whether the stems, if on, look fresh, and can be 
broken off easily ; if they adhere firmly, the melons are not 
ripe. See also that they (the cantaloupes) are firm to the 
touch ; those that yield to pressure, as if half wilted, are 
stale. They should be served at the first of the meal, and 
never with fruits. 

Rhubarb.=§= 

Ehubarb should always be fresh from the garden ; other- 
wise, it is indigestible to weak stomachs. After washing, 
trim carefully, and see that there are no worms left in the 
stalks. Before stewing, cut the latter into inch lengths, and 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 197 

allow about one pint of water to two quarts of prepared 
rhubarb ; stew in a porcelain kettle twenty minutes ; and 
just before lifting from the fire, add two-thirds of a cup of 
sugar. Leave the sauce in the kettle till cold, and then 
pour into a glass dish — never into tin or glazed ware, as 
this vegetable corrodes it, and is poisoned by it. 

This sauce may be canned in glass, for winter use. Or 
you may stew in a little more water, and strain through a 
cheese-cloth ; then heat the juice to boiling, and can it for 
a beverage. 

SOUPS. 

For remarks on soups, the best methods of making, etc., 
the reader is referred to Part III. In the recipes there given, 
the only unhygienic ingredient employed is the diminutive 
soup-bone, or bit of meat, which can be omitted if desired. 
Soups are not very well managed by feeble stomachs ; if 
taken too often, they are apt to cause indigestion. 

FKUITS AND FBUIT JUICES. 

Nearly all fruits if perfect, and thoroughly ripe, are, in 
their raw state, sweet enough to satisfy any unperverted 
taste. They are also more palatable and more healthful, 
than when cooked and sweetened. The pear, the peach, 
the cherry, the strawberry, ripe and perfect — each is richest 
in flavor when unchanged by heat, and sweetened only with 
the glad rays of the sun. The same is true of most other 
f ruits. But so transient are many kinds, that to have them in 
abundance and for any great length of time, cooking becomes 
a necessity. This is particularly true in localities where 
fruit is scarce, both in variety and quantity. Here, then, in 
the preparing and cooking of fruits, is rare opportunity for 
the finer touches of the culinary art ; and that cook is best 
skilled in her profession, who can best preserve and retain 



198 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

those delicate flavors with which nature has endowed them. 
The usual method, however, is to drown everything in 
sugar and syrups, thus obliterating the individuality that 
belongs to these delicate products of the earth. 

In an admirable little work on "Cooking and Castle- 
Building," written by Emma P. Ewing, the reader will find 
the following excellent remarks: 

" Never spice fruits, lest you destroy their flavor. I always 
detested nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon, in apple pies. I 
now see the reason. Rich spices and delicate flavored fruits 
form an unsuitable and unartistic combination." "The 
fine, delicate flavor of fruits should be preserved as perfect 
as possible; and for this reason they should never be cooked 
in tin, or stirred with a metal spoon less pure than silver. 
A wooden spoon or spatula is the best for the purpose." 
" If it is desirable to add to the flavor of the fruit you are 
cooking, add the flavor of another fruit. For instance } 
flavor apples with either pine-apple, strawberry, quince, 
lemon or orange. Even the perfume of flowers, like rose- 
water, may add to the deliciousness of a dish of fruit. But 
to bury roses in a cake, seems as inappropriate and unnat- 
ural as to deaden fruit with spices." 

" In cooking fruits of all sorts, whether for present or 
future use, aim to preserve the flavor of the fruit as far as 
possible; and to this end, avoid all contact with tin or base 
metal, and all needless exposure to the air. Cook as soon 
as possible, after the fruit is in proper condition. Cook in 
small quantities. Simmer gently, instead of boiling rapidly. 
The flavor of some fruits is preserved better by canning 
them without sugar. Peaches and blackberries are finer 
flavored when canned without sugar. At the time of open- 
ing and serving, sugar can be added if desired." 

In the selection of fruits, the first thing is to try to secure 
the best; those that are the nearest perfect, and of the 
choicest varieties. This done, they should be carefully 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 199 

sorted, taking out the bruised and imperfect ones for pres- 
ent use; such as are not to be cooked immediately, should 
be put in the coolest place possible. Fruit of every de- 
scription should be handled with great care, as any bruise 
leads to rapid decay. 

That intended for cooking, ought not to be overripe; 
but if it is so already, it should be used as soon as possible, 
cooking rather quickly and not too long. Unripe fruits, on 
the contrary, are greatly improved by cooking slowly, and 
for a longer time; this changes their starchy matter to 
saccharine, and makes them more palatable by practically 
ripening them. 

Care should be taken in cooking fruit not to break up its 
organic structure, more than is actually unavoidable; it 
looks better to be whole, and it is better; the juices are 
clearer, and the flavors more fully retained. The same is 
time of canned fruits; the nearer whole they are, the better. 

Dried fruits, having been in reality once cooked already, 
should pass through the next heating process pretty rapidly. 
Take, for example, dried apples, or dried peaches; if 
dropped into boiling water and cooked rather quickly, care 
being taken to remove them from the fire the moment they 
are soft, they will be brighter in color and much finer in 
flavor, than if allowed to simmer slowly, and fall into a 
dark, shapeless mass; the juice should be mild, but rich in 
taste, and of a light amber color. 

No fruits, whether cooked or raw, should be kept where 
the air is impure, as they will absorb the surrounding 
gases, and thus be rendered poisonous. We know how un- 
pleasant water tastes after it is allowed to stand open for 
hours in the " living room," where by breathing, persons 
are constantly throwing off carbonic acid from the lungs, 
and expelling it from their bodies. The cook should there- 
fore be instructed to remove the stewed fruits and any 
other fluid preparations, from the close kitchen into a cool, 



200 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET II. 

clean place, where they can be covered, if necessary, as 
soon as cold. 

In stewing fruits, do not allow the steam off old tin lids 
to collect and run down into the kettle, discoloring and 
poisoning its contents with rust. Lids of granitized iron 
are light, durable, and free from oxidation. Tin lids, if 
used, should be kept bright and clean; and when the kettle 
boils so slowly as to cause the moisture to adhere, the cover 
should be removed. In cooking fruits that have a decided 
color, as berries, cherries, currants, grapes or plums, observe 
two rules : first, stew them slowly; fast boiling darkens the 
fruit, and injures the flavor; second, keep them from con- 
tact with the baser metals, as tin, iron, brass, lead, copper, 
etc. Cook in kettles that are porcelain-lined, or made of 
granitized iron; and use silver spoons or wooden paddles 
for stirring. If canned for winter use, put these fruits into 
glass jars; tin not only discolors, it poisons them. In strain- 
ing fruit juices a Clean cloth is best, as it does not discolor; 
though an earthen colander, if you can get it, does very 
well. 

In selecting small fruits, care must be taken that they 
are newly gathered, else they will lose their fine flavors, 
and also their healthful qualities. When they are already 
beginning to decay, there is no alternative but to cook 
them — or throw them away. If not too far gone, the heat 
will expel most of the escaping gases, and render the fruit 
less hurtful, and less objectionable to the palate; but no 
amount of cooking can make it as good as sound fruit. A 
great deal of that sold in our city markets, is in this half 
stale condition — too long off the trees and vines. On the 
other hand, much of it has been gathered and shipped be- 
fore it was ripe; and it is so sour and unpalatable when it 
comes to us, that cooking and even sweetening seems a ne- 
cessity, before it can be brought to our tables. Were there 
at all times an ample supply of good fruits, neither over- 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 201 

ripe nor underripe, but fine in quality and choice in 
variety, we might reject the inferior grades, and eat the 
others without even a " grain " of sugar. Such, however, 
is not now the case, whatever it may be in the future. 

In the following recipes, it will be observed that fruits 
with mild acids, as apples, peaches, pears and grapes, are 
cooked with no sugar whatever; and that even the tart va- 
rieties are prepared with very little. And yet, so fine and 
palatable are they, that persons who have eaten them at 
our table, can scarcely believe that these fruits have little 
or no sweetening in them, except their own rich juices. 
One great advantage in dispensing with sugar, is that we 
are not poisoned with the many deleterious articles now 
used to adulterate it. Moreover, the liver is not clogged 
with that constipating, ferment-producing substance (sugar), 
which at best, is but a proximate principle of food, a dis- 
turber of good digestion, and like its twin sisters, oil and 
starch, incapable of sustaining animal life. 

Some hygienists, as elsewhere stated, have tried mixing 
the sweet and sour fruits together, making the one sweeten 
the other. It has been objected that this plan, theoretically 
good, has some drawbacks in practice. In the first place, 
the sweet fruits (dates, raisins, figs, etc.) are more expen- 
sive than sugar. In the next place, it is difficult to get them 
fresh; and when stale, they are covered over with crystals 
of grape sugar, which is, perhaps, not more wholesome than 
the common article made from cane. And lastly, it is said 
that the flavor of fruits prepared with dates, etc., is not as 
palatable as when sweetened in the usual way. It must 
be admitted, however, that the method referred to, has, to 
say the least, fewer adulterations to contend with. 

As stated in the introductory chapters in this work, some 
raw fruits, as apples and grapes, are best eaten at the be- 
ginning of the meal, and at breakfast, rather than supper; 
and that for persons of feeble digestion, and indeed for 



202 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

every one, it is better, as a rule, not to eat too many varieties 
of fruit at a given meal, but to make the changes from 
one meal to another. In this way it digests better, and 
one is not so likely to tire of it. In cool or wet weather, 
less fruits and less juicy vegetables are needed, than when 
it is dry and warm. Something more solid and hearty, 
as baked beans, parsnips, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, 
corn bread, etc., is relished; but when the hot, sultry days 
return, we call again for the cooling fruits and their juices. 
The following Table of Proportions is for stewed or 
canned fruits, and fruit juices; it gives the proportion of 
water and sugar by measure, for the different kinds : 

Prepared Fruit. 

Strawberries 5 qts 

Red currants 5 " 

Red raspberries . . . 5 " 

Black raspberries 5 " 

Raspberries and currants 5 " 

Blackberries 5 " 

Gooseberries 6 " 

u (for pies) 6 " 

May cherries 5 " 

Black morello cherries 5 " 

Seeded morello (for pies) 5 " 

Grapes 6 u 

Cranberries 2 " 

Peaches 6 " 

Pears 7 M 

Damson plums 5 " 

Green or blue gage 6 " 

Dried Fruit. 

Apples (kiln dried) 1 qt 

Peeled peaches (kiln dried) . 1 " 

Unpeeled " " " 1 l ' 

Cherries (tart) 1 " 

Plums (very tart) 1 " 



Water. 


Sugar. 


..lqt.. 


.fcup(lcupipt) 


. . 3 qts . 


.1 " 


..2 " . 


2 « 
•3 


. . 5 pts . 


1 it 

2 


..5 " . 


1 i' 


..3 " . 


3 « 


..2 qts. 


2 cups. 


. .3 pts. 


2 " 


. .3 " . 


1 cup. 


..2 qts. 


1 " 


..2 " . 


2 cups (heaping). 


..2 " . 


(no sugar). 


. . 3 pts . 


1 cup. 


. . 1 qt . 


(no sugar). 


. .1 " . 


a t< 


. . 5 pts . 


2 cups. 


..3 " . 


1 cup. 


. . 2 qts . 


(no sugar). 


..2 " . 


it (( 


. . 3 pts . 


U <t 


..3 " . 


u a 


..3 " . 


icup. 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 203 



Dried Fruit. 
Prunes (or prunes and plums) . 

Pears (peeled and cut) 

Sweet currants 

Raisins 


1 qt 
1 " 
1 " 

1 u 


Water. 

. 3 pts . 
. . 2 qts . 
. . 5 pts . 
. .5 " . 


Sugar. 
(no sugar) 

a u 
it « 
U It 



Time of Cooking. 
In cooking fruits, no very definite rules can be given as 
to time; this depends very much on the ripeness, variety, 
quality, etc. Making allowance for these, the table given 
below' will be found proximately correct. The heat must be 
moderate; hard boiling destroys the fine flavor of all fruits, 
and especially of those known as " small fruits." 

All kind of berries (except cranberries) 5 minutes. 

Red or white currants 5 

Grapes and cherries 5 

Plums 10 

Ripe peaches (freestones) 3 to 5 " 

Apples and pears — see recipes. 

Dried apples (kiln dried) 30 " 

pears " " 30 to 50 " 

peaches" " peeled 30 to 50 " 

" " " unpeeled 25 to 30 " 

cherries 10 to 15 " 

44 plums and prunes 25 to 30 " 

Sweet currants 35 " 

Raisins 40 to 50 " 

Dried apricots (simmer slowly; 2 hours. 

The following recipes are intended as a guide in prepar- 
ing fruits, either for canning or sauce; though for canning, 
special directions will hereafter be given. Tastes may differ, 
both as to the amount of water that should be used, and 
(where it is employed) the quantity of sugar required. 
The recipes here given are the ones the writer has used for 
years; and if the testimony of many friends is to be relied 
on, they have given good satisfaction. In some localities, 
where there is less heat and sunshine than in other places, 
the fruits (as raspberries, cherries, etc.) are more juicy, 



204 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART H. 

and would therefore require less water, in stewing or can- 
ning. 

Baked Apples. =}= 

Select smooth, fair apples of nearly uniform size, and 
entirely free from worms; wash carefully, and with a sharp- 
pointed knife remove the blossom ends, and any little blem- 
ishes. If the skins are covered with mouldy, dark-colored 
patches, rub the apples vigorously with a very rough cloth; 
then place them, stems downward and one layer deep, in an 
earthen pie-pan, or in a clean dish of granitized iron. If 
they are tart, crowd them closely together; if sweet, space 
a trifle apart. Put a cup of cold water in the pan, set it in 
an oven hot enough to bake without scorching, and cover 
if necessary; if the apples bake slower at the bottom, turn 
them. Do not let them get dry, as it will burn up the juice. 
Bake rather slowly, adding a little boiling water as it is 
needed, until they are fully done to the core; then remove 
from the oven, and set away in a cool place ; there should 
be a good cupful of juice in the bottom of the pan. When 
half cold lift into a fruit-dish, pour the juice over, and put 
on the cover. Rich apples baked in this way, are " fit for a 
king." 

Baked Apples. 4= 

Prepare as before, and into a deep earthen dish contain- 
ing a cup of cold water, put two or three layers of rather 
tart apples, and bake in a moderate oven. Turn them up 
from the bottom as they cook, and add a little boiling water 
from time to time; there must be plenty of juice when 
done. As soon as all are thoroughly soft, remove from the 
oven and set in a cool place. Serve within a few hours after 
baking. 

Baked Sweet Apples. =4= 

Select apples that are smooth and sound, and not too 
large. Wash well, remove the blossom ends, and put them 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 205 

in an earthen or granitized iron pan; lay them stems down- 
ward, one layer deep, and not too close together. Pour in 
a little boiling water, and bake slowly two or three hours, 
or until quite soft. Cover the tops if they incline to scorch; 
add a trifle of boiling water as it is needed, and turn them 
over once or twice. There should be enough syrup at the 
last to make them juicy; and the apples should be a rich 
brown color. If too dry when taken from the oven, pour 
in half a cup of water, boiling hot; when cold enough lay 
them in a glass dish, and pour the syrup over. 

Baked Apples. — (Pared.)=%= 

Pare and wash the apples, removing with a pen-knife, the 
blossom, stem and core; they should be sweet enough to 
hold together nicely, when cooked. Put them into an 
earthen pan, one layer deep, and spaced a trifle apart; pour 
in a little cold water to start with, and bake in an oven hot 
enough to brown slightly, but not to burn or blister. Turn 
once if necessary, and add a very little boning water from 
time to time; cover, if the apples are inclined to brown too 
much on top. When thoroughly soft remove from the 
oven; and when cool lift into a fruit-dish, pouring the juice 
over them. 

Stewed Apples. 4= 

Select apples not too ripe, and pare them, removing any 
blemishes; divide each in halves, cutting through the stem 
and blossom ; then cut each half into three pieces ; this 
enables the cook to take out all the core easily, and without 
waste. When all are prepared wash hastily, to remove the 
rust which a steel knife always imparts; put them in a por-. 
celain kettle, add cold water to make them moderately juicy, 
and cook till soft. If they are very tart, stew quickly ; 
and the moment they are ready to fall to pieces stir thor- 
oughly, and lift from the fire; or if there are still some 



206 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET II. 

bits not done, cook five minutes longer. But if the apples, 
are sweet, or sub-acid, you must cook slowly, and not stir ; 
then the pieces will hold together, each unbroken, and 
swimming in the clear juice. Set them away in the ket- 
tle, leaving the lid off till cold; then cover, to keep out flies 
or insects; or put them into the fruit-dish, ready for the 
table. 

Unripe apples if very tart, are best stewed in about water 
enough to cook them; stir when done; and while they are 
still hot, sweeten with a little brown sugar — maple, if you 
have it. 

Stewed Apples. — ( Choice. )=%= 

Take apples of a fine sub-acid flavor, and not very ripe; 
bright, rosy jennetings are excellent; prepare as in the pre- 
ceding recipe, and start in cold water, allowing enough to 
make them rather juicy. If necessary, skim when they 
begin to boil, and set them back where they will gently sim- 
mer ; if the cover is tin, lift it off as soon as the sauce is 
thoroughly heated through; if of granitized iron, leave it 
on. Let the apples cook slowly without stirring, from one 
to two hours ; they must not boil ; the top pieces may 
require pushing down once or twice, to make them cook 
evenly. Set them off when done, and leave in the kettle to 
cool. The pieces should all be whole, the juice a clear 
amber color, or a delicate pink (according to the color of 
the apples), and of very fine flavor. In lifting into the dish, 
be careful not to break the fruit. 

If the apples are fair and rosy, you may prepare as be- 
fore, except to leave on the skins; then cook in the way just 
described. The skins impart a rich flavor and color, both 
to the fruit and juice; you may put in some of the seeds 
for flavoring, if you like. 



PART II.] FEUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 207 

Stewed Sweet Apples. 4= 

Select sweet apples, all perfect, and a little underripe ; 
pare them nicely, trimming out the blossom ends, but leav- 
ing in the stems. Wash, to remove knife-rust, and put 
them into a fruit-kettle, adding enough cold w r ater to about 
half cover them. Set the kettle over a moderate fire, let it 
come to a boil, and skim ; cook slowiy for at least an hour, 
removing the lid, if tin. Do not stir or break the apples. 
When done take from the fire, and set away till perfectly 
cold; then lift carefully into the fruit-dish, and serve whole, 
with their own luscious juices. 

Stewed Apples. — ( Unpared.) 

Pick out smooth apples with clear skins; bright, rosy ones 
are best. Wipe them well and cut in halves, removing the 
stems and blossom ends, and taking out the cores, or any 
imperfect spots. After washing, put them into a fruit- 
kettle (by a fruit-kettle is meant either the porcelain-lined, 
or one of granitized iron ware — never brass, copper or tin), 
about half cover with cold water, put on the lid, and stew 
slowly without stirring, till the apples are soft. Then take 
from the fire, uncover, and set away in a cool place; when 
cold, lift carefully into a dish, keeping the fruit as whole as 
possible. 

Steamed Apples. 

Prepare as for baking, leaving the skins on, and steam 
two or three hours, or until soft. 

Roasted Apples. =§= 

Take fine winter apples, tart or sub-acid, wipe each clean, 
and set them on the sliding grate in a hot oven. As soon 
as they are soft to the core, take out, cool and eat ; they 
will cook in a few minutes, and you will find them delicious. 



208 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET II. 

Another way is to roast before a hot fire, turning the apples 
frequently till done. 

Quinces. 

Quinces may be pared and stewed the same as apples. 
They are rather tart unless sweetened, or cooked with fruits 
of a milder acid. 

Apples and Quinces.=§= 

Take sweet apples and quinces in equal quantities — or 
two parts apples to one of quince ; wash and pare them, 
cut into quarters, sixths or eighths, according to the size of 
the fruit, and core well ; the slices of quince should be 
pretty thin. Put a layer of the latter in the bottom of the 
kettle (as they are longer in cooking), and then one of 
apples ; repeat the layers, pour in cold water to about half 
cover, and when the fruit begins to boil set it where it 
will stew very slowly. Cook without stirring, and let it 
simmer about an hour ; cover with a lid that will not 
blacken, or else leave it off altogether. When done remove 
from the fire, and leave the fruit to cool in the kettle. 

Another way is to take finely-flavored russets and quinces, 
three or four parts of the former to one of the latter ; 
then prepare and stew as before. 

Crab-Apple Sauce. 

Stew Siberian crab-apples in a little water, until they are 
reduced to a soft pulp ; then rub through a coarse sieve or 
colander to remove the seeds, cores and skins, and sweeten 
to taste. This sauce has a peculiar, spicy taste, which is 
very agreeable. 

Stewed Peaches.=|= 

Select fruit that is not too ripe ; if wanted for canning, 
it should be quite firm, entirely too hard for eating. The 
more sunny and rosy it is, the better the flavor. Wet the 
peaches to prevent the down from rubbing off. If they 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 209 

are freestones cut them in halves, take out the pits, and re- 
move any gum that may adhere, as it is extremely bitter. 
Then with a sharp thin knife pare off the skins, wasting as 
little of the fruit as possible ; if free from gum you may 
pare first, and then take out the pits. Put the peaches into 
a fruit-kettle, a few at a time, if you want them unbroken, 
and allow one part cold water to six parts fruit, or enough 
for the juice required ; too much water will spoil the flavor. 
Bring slowly to a boil, and skim if necessary. If ripe, the 
fruit will be cooked sufficiently by the time it is fairly 
boiling ; if unripe, cook till it softens, which will require 
only a few minutes. Then take from the fire, and with a 
spoon lift out each half, being careful not to break it ; 
place the fruit in a dish and pour the juice over. Or you 
may leave it in the kettle till cold, before dishing. 

Clingstones should be pared and stewed whole ; if rather 
green, try with a fork when they begin to boil, and cook 
only till tender ; if very tart, they will be done in nearly no 
time. Should you .remove the pits, stew them in a little 
water, and take it to cook the peaches. 

Baked Peaches. 

Take good clingstones, wash well, removing any blemishes, 
but do not peel them. Fill a stone jar or crock nearly full, 
add a pint or more of cold water, cover, and bake in a very 
slow oven an hour and a half or two hours. If the peaches 
are tart and juicy, less cooking and a smaller quantity of 
water will be needed. 

Apricots. 

Prepare and stew the same as peaches, removing the pits. 

Stewed Pears. =j= 

The fruit must not be too green, and yet hardly begin- 
ning to soften ; if too ripe or too green it will be insipid. 



210 HEALTH LN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II, 

Tart pears are always best for cooking, as the sweet vari- 
eties are usually tasteless ; the Bartlett is the best. Kemove 
the skins with a sharp thin knife, cut in halves, or if large 
into quarters, and take out the seeds. Put them into a ket- 
tle, and pour in cold water in the proportion of one part 
water to seven of fruit, or until about half of it is covered ; 
then place over a slow fire ; it must not be stirred. When 
it begins to boil, set the kettle back where it will simmer, 
keeping it closely covered with a clean lid till the top pieces 
are soft ; cook slowly, from forty to sixty minutes. If the 
pears are fair and rosy, the sauce will be of a reddish tint, 
and the flavor fine. When done remove from the fire, and 
let it remain in the kettle till cold. No sugar is needed if 
the fruit is of good quality. 

Baked Pears. 

Select pears with a smooth tender skin, not very large 
and not too green. Fill a stone jar with them, packing 
them in closely, and then pour in cold or tepid water till the 
fruit is two-thirds covered. Turn an old plate over, and 
bake in a slow oven three hours. 

Apples (as Spitzenbergs or winesaps), peeled and cored, 
may be baked in the same way. 

Plums. 4= 

Plums are of all varieties and flavors ; some are very 
sweet, others intensely sour ; some are quite insipid when 
cooked, while others are of fine flavor. The damsons, and 
the blue and green gages, are best. Pick carefully to avoid 
worms, and wash. If you have damsons, let them be almost 
ripe; a little soft to the touch; for every five quarts of pre- 
pared fruit put in five pints of cold water, stew slowly, and 
skim when they begin to boil ; then add two cups of sugar, 
skim again, and cook rather slowly ten minutes. 

The blue and green gages are not nearly as acid as the 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 211 

damsons, and therefore require less sugar by at least one- 
half ; they also take less water. A good rule for these, is 
three pints of water to six quarts of picked fruit ; boil and 
skim, add one cup of sugar, and cook very slowly till soft ; 
say from three to five minutes after the boiling commences. 
If wanted for canning, the gages must be gathered before 
they are quite ripe, as they fall to pieces badly. 

Strawberries.=|= 

Strawberries, in ripe perfection, are not expected to see 
the fire ; but so transient are they, that we have sometimes 
to cook in order to keep them. Besides, it is very conven- 
ient to can them for temporary or future use, and open as 
they are wanted ; berries that are ripe and sweet, but thor- 
oughly firm and sound, are best. If fresh from the beds 
and free from sand or earth, do not wash them, as it injures 
the flavor. But if washing is necessary, do it quickly, in a 
colander ; then drain well, remove the caps, throw out any 
refuse berries, and put those that are not perfect by them- 
selves, for separate attention. Allow for every five quarts 
of prepared fruit one quart of cold water, and two-thirds of 
a cup of sugar — though if fully ripe, little if any sugar is 
needed. Put the water into a porcelain kettle, and add the 
berries ; do not crowd it, as the fruit foams very much. 
Place over a slow fire, and when it comes to a boil, skim ; 
then add the sugar, and skim again ; stir down the fruit 
with a wooden paddle, and cook slowly five to ten minutes ; 
a little longer, if intended for canning. 

Fruit Juices. 

In all the fruit juices, do not sweeten until after the strain- 
ing is done ; otherwise, a part of the sugar will be wasted. 
If the fruit is very acid, it is best to strain through a cloth 
— or an earthen colander — as tin discolors the liquid ; if 
through a cloth, use coarse linen or cotton, or old flannel ; 
15 



212 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

common cheese cloth is first rate. Never strain into 
earthen or stone ware lined with lead glaze ; this is very 
poisonous, and acid corrodes it. 

Strawberry Juice.=§= 

Prepare the fruit as in the recipe for strawberries (omit- 
ting the sugar), and cook five minutes ; then strain out the 
juice, add the sugar, and heat to a boil. This is an excel- 
lent beverage, or a good sauce for mushes ; used as a bever- 
age, it will require diluting with water. If wanted for 
winter use, put it into cans, boiling hot. 

Eed Currants.=J= 

Wash in a colander, drain well, and stem without break- 
ing the currants ; throw out the faulty or discolored ones. 
Put the fruit into a porcelain kettle, and allow three quarts 
of cold water and one cup of sugar, to every five quarts of 
stemmed currants. Cook slowly, skim when the kettle 
begins to boil, and as soon as the mass is thoroughly heated, 
remove from the fire. 

Currant Juice. 4= 

Prepare the fruit as in the last recipe, adding the water, 
but not the sugar, and cook very slowly ; then strain through 
a cloth or an earthen colander, put in the sugar, and heat 
again to boiling. Currant juice makes a fine beverage, and 
a delicious sauce for mushes, etc.; it is also good served 
with currant scone, or fruit roll. If prepared for drinking, 
allow four quarts of water and one cup of sugar, to five 
quarts of stemmed fruit ; strain before sweetening, heat 
again to a boil, and set away to cool. Or it may be canned 
for winter use. 



part ii.] fruits and fruit juices. 213 

Raspberries and Currants. =|= 

Wash the currants in a colander, drain them well, and 
strip carefully from the stems ; all that are bruised and dis- 
colored should be thrown out. Then look over the rasp- 
berries, and see that there are no stems or leaves among 
them ; the fruit should not be overripe. Add to four 
quarts of black raspberries one of red currants (more cur- 
rants and less berries are better), and allow five pints of 
cold water to the five quarts of mixed fruit. Put all into 
a porcelain kettle, heat slowly, and skim as soon as it boils ; 
then stir in half a cup of sugar, and skim again ; cook over 
a slow fire five minutes. 

If red raspberries are used (and they are excellent), take 
two quarts of water and two-thirds of a cup of sugar, to five 
quarts of mixed fruit. 

Raspberry and Currant Juice. =j= 

Prepare the berries and currants as in the preceding rec- 
ipe, and when they begin to boil stew slowly three to five 
minutes ; then strain through a coarse cloth. Return to 
the kettle, add the sugar, and heat gradually till the liquid 
boils ; skim if there is need. If not wanted for immediate 
use, put it into glass cans boiling hot, and set in a dark 
place. This juice makes a good sauce for grains, mushes, 
plain puddings, etc. 

Gooseberries. =|= 

Gooseberries, like other fruits, are best ripe, or nearly so ; 
if stewed when beginning to turn red, they are excellent. 
Remove the stems and blossoms, and wash thoroughly ; put 
them into a fruit-kettle, and allow two quarts of cold water 
for every six quarts of berries. Heat slowly to boiling, and 
skim ; then add two cups of sugar, cook five minutes, and 
either put the fruit into cans or set it off to cool. If the 
berries are sufficiently ripe, the juice will be a delicate pink 



214 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART H. 

color, and very fine in flavor ; if they are rather green, cook 
a few minutes longer (never too fast), and use a little more 
sugar. 

In eating this sauce, persons of weak digestion should not 
swallow the skins ; the better way, however, would be to 
remove them by rubbing the fruit through a colander before 
sending it to the table. 

Gooseberries for Pies.=|= 

Gooseberries canned when they are beginning to ripen, 
make excellent pies in winter. For this purpose, prepare 
and stew as in the preceding recipe, except that less water 
is needed ; three pints of water to six quarts of fruit will be 
enough ; put into cans, boiling hot. If, on opening, there 
is more juice than is needed, drain off the top ; it will make 
a good drink ; or it can be used as a sauce for mushes. 
When you make into pies, add a little more sugar — say a 
spoonful to each pie. 

Gooseberry Juice.+ 

Look over the fruit, but do not stem it ; the stems and 
blossoms will strain out with the skins. Wash and stew as 
in the last recipe but one ; then strain through a colander, 
add the sugar, and heat slowly to a boil. If not wanted for 
present use, put the juice into cans, and open as it is 
needed. 

A good way for winter use is to cook the fruit, sweeten, 
and put it into cans without straining ; you can strain 
through a colander when you open it. There is a double 
advantage in this method ; it saves all the trouble of strain- 
ing during the busy season of fruit-canning, and the juice 
is not so apt to be discolored if put through the colander 
cold. Earthen colanders of fire-proof ware, would be better 
than tin ; the tin ones, even when new, will discolor most 



PART II. J FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 215 

acid fruits ; and they are still more objectionable after 
being used a season. 

Gooseberry juice is much liked as a beverage for the sick, 
particularly when something sour is wanted ; it is also used 
as a dressing for grains and mushes. 

Black Morello Cherries.=J= 

The black morello is the richest cherry we have, not only 
for stewing and canning, but also for pies. Wash the fruit 
and look it over carefully, throwing out any wormy cherries, 
and putting those that are knotty into a separate dish to 
seed. The perfect ones are better with the seeds left in ; 
the flavor is finer, and if canned for winter use the cherries 
keep better. Put into a porcelain kettle two quarts of cold 
water to five quarts of prepared fruit ; skim when it begins 
to boil, add one cup of sugar, and cook slowly three or four 
minutes. Too much cooking makes the cherries insipid. 

May Cherries. =|= 

Wash and look over as in the last recipe, leaving the seeds 
in. Stew in the same way, except that less sugar and 
water are needed ; to five quarts of picked fruit, three 
pints of cold water and nearly one cup of sugar will 
be ample ; and if the cherries are particularly juicy, take 
less water by at least one pint. If intended for canning 
the seeds should be removed, as they give an unpleasant 
flavor to the fruit, after a time. The English morello is fine 
stewed in the same way. The very sweet varieties of 
cherries are rather tasteless when cooked. 

Cherries for Pies.=|= 

The black morello is the best cherry for pies, as well as 
for sauce, though the May cherry is very good. Wash, 
look over carefully, and seed ; to five quarts of seeded 
cherries, add (if morello) two quarts of cold water and 



216 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

two full cups of sugar. If May cherries are used, take 
three pints of water and one heaping cup of sugar. When 
the fruit is fairly boiling, can it, and set it away for winter 
use. Cherries grown in some ]atitudes are more juicy, and 
therefore require a little less water. 

Blackberries.^ 

Select fruit not too ripe — it should be a little firm to the 
touch — and see that it is recently gathered. Stale black- 
berries turn a dull red color, and are frequently mistaken for 
underripe fruit ; if eaten in this state without cooking, they 
often cause cholera morbus. If bought in the city markets, 
look them over carefully ; then stew in a porcelain kettle, 
allowing three pints of cold water to every five quarts of 
fruit. As soon as it begins to boil, skim ; then add three- 
fourths of a cup of sugar, and if necessary skim again ; 
when the kettle is fairly boiling remove from the fire, or 
put the fruit into cans. If intended for pies, make less 
juicy ; one quart of water to five quarts of berries, would 
be plenty. 

Blackberry Juice.=§= 

Prepare and cook as in the recipe just given, except that 
you strain through a cloth before adding the sugar ; then 
heat slowly to a boil, and remove the juice from the fire. 
If wanted for winter use, put it into cans, boiling hot. This 
juice makes an excellent dressing for mushes, or plain pud- 
dings. 

Grapes. =|= 

Grapes, to be finely flavored when cooked, should be of 
the very best quality, and fully ripe. Wash in a colander, 
and then strip from the stems, throwing out all the faulty 
ones. Put them into a fruit-kettle, with nearly enough 
water to cover ; a good rule, is two quarts of water to six 
quarts of stripped grapes ; if barely ripe, take a little less 



PAK'i ILj FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 217 

water ; no sugar is needed. Skim when they begin to boil, 
and cook slowly five minutes; then remove from the fire, or 
put into cans. 

For grapes, plums, blackberries, etc., take a wooden pad- 
dle to stir or push down the fruit when it threatens to boil 
over ; iron spoons discolor it, and should not be used. 

G-RAPE JUICE.=|= 

Simple grape juice, strange to say, is a thing of compar- 
atively recent manufacture. In St. Louis, where for many 
years grapes have been grown in great abundance, this ex- 
cellent beverage was unheard of until about the year 1872, 
when it was prepared by the hygienists. 

When the grapes are at their best for eating, they are 
just right for juice. Prepare as in the preceding recipe, 
heating slowly, and skimming well ; and when the whole 
mass is boiling hot, strain through a cloth. If a colander 
is used an earthen one is best, as tin discolors the liquid ; 
when no more juice will run through, put the seeds and 
skins into a coarse linen bag, or one of ordinary cheese- 
cloth, and express the remainder ; a jelly-squeezer would, 
answer, but it is sure to discolor, more or less. Add no 
sugar. The less the fruit (or juice) is cooked, the brighter 
the color and the better the flavor ; like all small or tender 
fruits, it is injured by long or rapid boiling ; the color be- 
comes dark, and the fine fresh flavor is gone. After you 
have done straining and squeezing, put all the liquid back 
into the kettle, let it come slowly to a boil, and then remove 
from the fire or seal in cans. 

This juice put into glass cans or bottles, boiling hot, will 
keep well for a year, provided it stays in a cool dark place. 
With a bit of ice (or better, cooled in the ice-chest) it makes 
a fine drink in summer ; and in all seasons it is a grateful 
beverage, for the sick or well. Served with currant scone, 
fruit roll, or Graham fruit cake, it is excellent and when of 



218 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

rather thick consistency, it makes a very good sauce for 
mushes. 

In preparing grape juice for a beverage, it is best to strain it 
through flannel or cheese-cloth, instead of through a colander. 
Do not strain into stone or earthen jars which are lined 
with lead glaze; acids, fruit or vegetable, will corrode it. 

Mixed Juices. 

Very fine beverages and sauces are made, by mixing two 
or more varieties of small fruits in any proportion desired, 
and then cooking and straining as in the preceding recipes. 
Strawberries and cherries make an excellent combination ; 
so do raspberries and cherries, or raspberries and currants. 

Huckleberries. 

Like most small fruits, huckleberries, if perfect, are best 
in their natural state. But after being shipped to distant 
points they are often in such a condition as to require 
cooking. Stew the same as blackberries, with little or no 
sugar. They may be put into glass cans (never in tin), and 
kept for pies or sauce in winter. 

Cranberries. =§= 
In buying cranberries see that they are sound ; and in 
looking them over throw out all the very soft ones, and any 
that are affected with " dry rot," as these are extremely 
bitter. After washing, put them into a porcelain kettle, 
and add about three pints of cold water to two quarts of 
sorted fruit. This rule is subject to slight variations, some 
varieties being less juicy than others ; a berry not so juicy 
would need more water, almost as much as there is fruit. 
Skim as soon as the kettle begins to boil, and stir well 
Then let it boil slowly from twenty to thirty minutes ; take 
from the fire, press the berries through a colander to remove 
the skins, and add one cup of sugar. Return the sauce to 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 219 

the kettle, and simmer till hot ; then set it away in a cool 
place. If the berries are very ripe, more water and less 
sugar will be needed; say two-thirds of a cup of sugar and 
three and a half pints of water, to two quarts of sound 
fruit. 

Cranberries may be canned for winter use, the same as 
other small fruits. Or, they may be kept under water in a 
cool place ; they are said to keep in this way nearly or quite 
all winter. The water should be changed occasionally, and 
the vessel containing it should stand in a clean, cool place, 
well ventilated. 

Dried Apples. =f= 

Apples of first-rate quality, properly dried and cooked, 
are both good tasting and good looking ; the pieces, whole 
and perfect, are light in color, and the juice that surrounds 
them is rich and palatable. Unfortunately, the article in our 
markets is not of the kind here described ; the apples (and 
peaches for that matter) selected for this purpose, are gen- 
erally the very poorest the orchard affords ; knotty, gnarled, 
inferior in flavor, and often grown in the shade ; and not un- 
frequently they are half rotted in the process of drying. 
Instead of the beautiful fruit that used to come from the 
country dry-house, all in large white quarters, we see a dark 
mass of scrappy-looking apples, full of cores and other im- 
perfections. 

The first thing, then, is to pick over the fruit carefully, 
trimming off any burnt edges or other defective portions ; 
then wash quickly in cold water, rubbing the pieces well 
with the fingers, and lifting them into a separate vessel ; if 
not thoroughly cleansed, wash again in the same way. Then 
put them into a clean fruit-kettle, nearly cover with boilinr/ 
water, and cook rather fast till tolerably soft. Apples that 
are recently and quickly dried, as with steam, will usually 
cook in half an hour ; but if old or dried in the sun, it may 



220 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II- 

take from one to two hours' fast boiling, to make them ten- 
der. If cooked too long, however, they will be tasteless. 
When about half done, more boning water will probably be 
needed ; but do not add too much, lest you spoil their flavor. 
Just before lifting from the fire, put in (if they require it) 
enough boiling water to make them pretty juicy. 

If new, steam-dried, and cut in quarters or eighths, the 
following rule is a good one : Over two quarts of apples, 
trimmed and washed, pour three quarts of boiling water ; 
cook pretty fast twenty minutes ; then add one quart of 
water, boiling hot, and cook ten to fifteen minutes longer. If 
managed just right they will be of a bright color, and rich 
in flavor. Set them away in the kettle to cool, with the lid 
off ; and in lifting into the fruit-dish for the table, be care- 
ful not to break the pieces. 

When the apples are of poor quality, a handful of raisins 
stewed with them is sometimes an improvement. 

Dried Peaches and Plums.=§= 

These are prepared and stewed the same as dried apples ; 
if cut thin they may require a little less time to cook, and 
also less water. 

Dried Peaches.=|= 

Look the peaches over, one at a time, throwing out any 
worthless pieces, and trimming the defective ones with a 
sharp knife. If unpeeled, wash them through two or three 
waters, and rub well with the fingers to remove the down. 
Start .in boiling water, and stew rather fast till tender; if 
steam-dried, they will usually cook in about twenty-five 
minutes. They swell less than apples in stewing, and there- 
fore require a little less water; about two measures of un- 
cooked peaches, to three of water. Have them just soft, 
when done ; too much cooking or too much fluid, gives the 
fruit a washed-out taste. The juice, of which there must 



PART II.] FRUITS AND FRUIT JUICES. 221 

be plenty, should be of a clear amber color, mild in flavor, 
but good and rich ; it is an excellent dressing for mushes. 
For dried apricots soak over night, in water enough to 
cover them well. Simmer slowly (not boil) in the same 
water for about two hours. Add water as needed, boiling 
hot, to make the sauce quite juicy. 

Prunes. =))= 

See that there are no wormy or imperfect ones; then 
wash the prunes through two waters very thoroughly, rub- 
bing them well with the fingers. If this is not done care- 
fully, the juice will be dark and muddy-looking; it should 
be clear in color, not darker than the juice of fine dried 
peaches. It is often the slovenly preparing that makes 
dried fruit so unsightly, and so little relished. Stew the 
same as peaches, allowing three pints of boiling water to a 
quart of prunes; they will cook in twenty-five to thirty 
minutes. This fruit is greatly improved in flavor by adding 
a handful of tart dried plums, before stewing; some use 
instead, a sliced lemon, first removing the rind and seeds; 
it should be put in when the prunes are about done. 

Dried Plums. =|= 

Dried plums of some varieties, are very good; they are 
cooked the same as prunes. If quite tart, a little sugar 
may be added before taking them from the fire. The very 
tart varieties are excellent mixed with prunes, allowing one 
part plums to three or four parts prunes. 

Dried Cherries. 

These are prepared and cooked the same as plums, ex- 
cept that they stew in shorter time ; start in boiling water, 
and take from the fire as soon as done, or they will be in- 
sipid. They usually cook in ten or fifteen minutes. 



222 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

Other small fruits (dried), as raspberries, currants, black- 
berries, etc., are done in the same way. Raspberries and 
currants are best stewed together; and a few dried black- 
berries stewed with dried apples, are said to be good. 

Prunes and Plums. =§= 

Take one measure of tart dried plums, and three or four 
of prunes; then look them over carefully, wash well, and 
stew together till done; they will cook in half an hour. The 
sauce made from this combination is rather tart, but very 
agreeable to the taste. Allow three pints water to a quart 
of mixed fruit; no sugar is needed. 

Sweet Currants. =J= 

Inspect very closely, as there are often small flinty stones 
packed in with the fruit; break up the lumps that stick to- 
gether, and throw out what is imperfect. Put the currants 
into a basin of water, wash with the hands, rubbing well, 
and lift them out into another vessel; this will allow any 
sediment or stones to sink to the bottom. Then turn them 
into a colander, and wash thoroughly, till clean; put them 
into a fruit-kettle, add a moderate quantity of boiling water 
(too much in the start weakens the flavor), and stew gently, 
thirty-five minutes. If not juicy enough, put in more boil- 
ing water, just before finishing. A good rule is the follow- 
ing: To a quart of currants, picked over and washed, add 
to start with, two quarts of boiling water, and cook moder- 
ately twenty minutes; then add one pint more (boiling), 
and stew fifteen minutes longer. You may try them once 
or twice, toward the last; and the moment they are tender, 
remove from the fire; too much cooking spoils them. Let 
them stand till perfectly cold before sending to the table. 
If well managed the juice will be clear, but rich in color 
and fine in flavor. This is an excellent sauce for mushes, 
and particularly good for corn mush. 



part ii. j fruits and fruit juices. 223 

Kaisins. 

Pick from the stems, throwing out imperfect raisins; then 
wash, and stew in a moderate quantity of water, allowing, 
say, two and a half pints cold water to every pint of picked 
fruit. Stew from forty to fifty minutes, or till tender, and 
let there be plenty of juice when done. If this sauce is too 
sweet, peel and slice in a lemon after taking it from the 
fire. In the absence of lemons, a handful of dried red 
currants may be cooked with the raisins. 

Oranges. 

Oranges if perfect, are a wholesome and finely flavored 
fruit; but as a rule, they are not easily digested with other 
fruits. They are therefore best eaten by themselves; that 
is, between meals — or they may be served as a dessert, pro- 
vided no other fruits form a part of the repast. 

Lemons. 

Lemons are so extremely acid, that, dietetically speaking, 
they take the place of a condiment rather than a food. 
Like oranges, they form a better combination with vege- 
tables than with fruits; and they make a fine dressing, 
either for vegetables or meats. Lemon juice diluted with 
water, is often taken on an empty stomach for disordered 
liver. 

Bananas. 

Bananas (for weak stomachs at least) are best not eaten 
with other fruits. In fact, dietetically considered, they be- 
long, like melons and tomatoes, with vegetables rather than 
with fruits. They are best eaten at the beginning of the 
meal, as they are rather hearty. 



224 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

POMAEIUS. 

" This is a very delicate jelly, formed from the expressed 
juice of tart apples, sound and ripe, with no admixture of 
sugar or gelatine. The fresh juice is filtered through a 
thick flannel cloth, and quickly evaporated, by gently heat- 
ing it in porcelain pans to the consistency of a heavy jelly. 
From ten gallons of juice, one gallon of Pomarius is pro- 
duced. It is found to keep uninjured through the hot sea- 
son, without being sealed. It imparts a delicious flavor to 
all the cereals, and forms a grateful beverage when diluted 
with water." 

This recipe is taken from Dr. Trail's "Hygeian Home 
Cook-Book." 

DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 

In preparing fruit drinks, let none but sound fruit be 
used. Look it over carefully, and if not perfectly clean, 
wash through a colander — except raspberries and black- 
berries, which, being too soft to wash, must be " taken on 
trust." Cook in a vessel that is porcelain-lined, or made of 
granitized iron ; and if the water used in stewing is not 
soft, or is saturated with mud, boil thoroughly, and settle 
till clear. After these drinks are made set them in the re- 
frigerator, or in a vessel of ice-water, and cool to the 
proper temperature; if they are too concentrated, dilute 
with a little pure water. 

Currant Juice. =f= 

Allow nearly a quart of water and two tablespoonfuls of 
sugar, to a full quart of currants stripped from the stems; 
heat slowly to a boil in a porcelain kettle, and skim. Then 
simmer five minutes, strain through a cloth, and cool. 
There is no finer drink for the sick than this; it can be 



PART II.] DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 225 

diluted with water if necessary, and a little more or less 
sugar used, to suit the taste. 

Strawberry Juice.=|= 

Add half a pint of water and a tablespoonful of sugar, 
to one quart of capped strawberries. Put into a porcelain 
kettle and heat, skimming when it boils; then stew slowly, 
five to seven minutes. Strain and cool; if too rich, dilute 
with water. This is an excellent drink. 

Grape Juice.=|= 

Select the best of grapes, not overripe; then prepare and 
stew in a porcelain kettle, allowing one pint of water to 
three pints of fruit, picked from the stems. When it comes 
to a boil, skim it; then simmer slowly five minutes, and 
strain through a clean flannel cloth or a cotton cheese-cloth. 
Heat again almost to boiling, remove from the fire, and 
cool. As a mild sub-acid drink, this is greatly relished. 

Gooseberry Juice. =j= 

Select sound berries, fresh from the garden, and about 
half or two-thirds ripe — pale red berries, not very soft. To 
a pint of these, picked and washed, add one pint of water, 
and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Then heat to a boil in a 
porcelain kettle, skim well, cook five minutes, and strain 
through a cloth; let the juice stand till it is cold, and drain 
off the clear pink fluid, leaving the more pulpy portion in 
the bottom of the vessel. If necessary, dilute with water 
before serving. 

Red Raspberry Juice. 

To one quart of fruit allow a pint of water, and a tabic 
spoonful of sugar; stew moderately (in a porcelain kettle) 
five minutes, and strain through a cloth. Dilute with water 
if necessary, and give to the patient when cold. 



226 health in the household. [part h. 

Black Raspberry Juice. 

Make as in the preceding, only leave out the sugar. This 
is often given to children for looseness of the bowels; 
though the expressed juice (uncooked) of berries fresh from 
the garden, is quite as good. 

Blackberry Juice. 

To a quart of sound fruit add a pint of water, and stew 
without sugar; strain and cool. This also is used for lax- 
ness or diarrhea — and so is the fresh juice of the berry. 

Apple Juice. 4= 

Pare, core and quarter rich, juicy apples, as pippins, with 
a tart or sub-acid flavor, and start to cooking in water 
enough to make plenty of syrup; a few slices of quince 
may be added, if the flavor is liked. Then simmer gently 
one hour, or till the fruit is quite soft; when cold drain off 
the juice. No sugar will be needed, unless the apples are 
very sour. 

The juices of canned fruits, diluted with water, make 
good drinks for the sick, provided they are put up with lit- 
tle or no sugar. 

Dried Apple Juice. =|= 

Prepare and stew good rich apples, rather tart, allowing 
water enough to make them quite juicy. After the apples 
are done lift off the lid, and let them stand in the juice till 
it is cold; then drain it off, diluting with water if necessary. 
This makes a very agreeable drink. If wanted in haste, 
pour boiling water on the raw fruit, sliced, and let it stand 
a few minutes; then drain off, cool, and serve. 

Dried Peach Juice. 

Select good fruit, free from gum; the peeled peaches are 
best. Prepare and stew as for sauce, allowing plenty of 



PART II. 



DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 227 



water for juice when done; cool, and dilute to suit the 
taste. 

Tart dried plums may be used instead of peaches. 

Cranberry Juice. 

Take fine ripe berries, perfectly sound, wash them, add 
as much water as there is fruit, and stew slowly till soft. 
Then strain, sweeten to taste, and dilute with water if 
necessary. Cool before serving. 

Cold Lemonade. =f= 

Select lemons that are sound and ripe; the taste of the 
green fruit is intolerable. The Messina lemons are best in 
flavor, and full of juice. Remove the rind, and either slice 
them or use the lemon-squeezer; put in very little sugar; 
for some patients, none. Add pure cold water — ice-water 
if you have it — diluting to suit the taste. If the flavor of 
the rind is liked, wash the lemons, clip off the ends, and 
slice thin, removing the seeds; then add the sugar, and fill 
up with ice-water. Stir well, and after a few minutes, serve. 

Hot Lemonade. =4= 

Roll the lemon, cut it in halves, and squeeze the juice 
into a tumbler; or you may remove the rind, and use the 
lemon-squeezer. Fill up with hot water, and serve without 
sweetening. 

Orangeade. =J= 

This is made the same as lemonade, using good tart 
oranges. 

Raw Fruit Drinks. + 

A very fine drink is made by squeezing the juice from 

ripe strawberries, and diluting it with cold water; add a 

trifle of sugar, if desired. Cherries, currants, grapes, and 
lb 



228 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT II. 

other small fruits, can be used in the same way; the grapes 
if ripe, need no sugar. 

Or you may peel a pine-apple, slice it very thin, and if 
desired sprinkle on a little sugar. Add enough ice-water 
to cover the fruit, and set it in the refrigerator an hour or 
two; then add more water, diluting to suit the taste. Drain, 
and serve. 

Tamarind Water. 

Soak tamarinds in cold water an hour; then pour off the 
water, strain it, and serve. Good dried apples, rather tart, 
may be steeped in the same way; and so may prunelles. 

Apple Tea. 

Peel tart apples, as pippins or bellflowers, slice very thin, 
and pour boiling water over them; when cold, pour off the 
water. If preferred, stew in considerable water, strain 
through a cloth, and then cool and settle; a very little sugar 
may be added, if desired. 

Cranberry Tea. 

Take ripe cranberries, perfectly sound, mash thoroughly, 
and pour boiling water over them; let the mixture stand a few 
minutes, or till cold; then strain off the water, and sweeten 
to taste. Good tart apples, scraped, and treated in the 
same way, may be used; and so may dried sour currants, or 
dried red raspberries. 

Toast Water.=§= 

Take Graham bread that is two or three days old, but 
perfectly sweet; the unleavened is best; cut it in thin slices, 
and toast slowly and evenly till thoroughly dry, and well 
browned; do not on any account scorch it. Then pour over 
pure cold water, let it stand an hour, and drain off the 
water for a drink. Stale loaf bread, home-made (of Gra- 



PART II.] FOODS FOR THE SICK. 229 

ham or white flour), may also be used. If this drink is 
made with hard water, the latter should be first boiled, and 
then allowed to cool and settle. 

Another way to prepare toast water, is to have the toast 
ready, fill a small pitcher with boiling water, and drop the 
slices into it ; then cool, and set in the refrigerator till 
wanted. 

If liked, you may parch wheat, corn, barley, rice, or any 
of the grains, pour over boiling water, and let the mixture 
steep half an hour ; the grain should be sound, and well 
washed and dried before parching. Serve the drink warm 
or cold, without sweetening. 

Barley Water. 

Over a third of a teacupful of fresh pearl barley, pour 
half a pint of boiling water, and let it simmer five minutes; 
then drain off and throw away this liquid. Now add two 
quarts of boiling water, and let it boil until it is reduced 
one-half. Strain, and use without sweetening. 

Oat Water. =jj= 

Into two quarts of cold water, stir a single handful of 
fresh oat meal; let it stand fifteen to twenty minutes, or 
longer. Pour off the water as it is wanted, and serve. 



l e v 



FOODS FOE THE SICK. 

When persons are sick with fever, or other acute disease, 
there is usually little need of food — the rule being, the less 
the better. In long-running diseases, however, as typhoid or 
other low fevers, and in all convalescing cases, more or less 
food should be given. In the hygienic dietary, there is an 
abundant variety of wholesome articles to select from. 
Cooked fruits and fruit juices, dry toast, wheat meal crisps, 
the hard roll, plain boiled rice, oat meal mush, baked po- 



230 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IL 

tato, — these, and other plain dishes, furnish an ample variety 
of the more substantial foods. Some of the raw fruits, 
also, as ripe grapes, strawberries, peaches, etc., are very ac- 
ceptable to the sick. When the patient is too weak for 
much solid food, and yet feels the need of " a little some- 
thing," selections may be made from the following recipes. 

Oat Meal Gruel.=§= 

Over three tablespoonf uls of fresh oat meal pour half a 
cup of cold water, and stir it well; add a pint and a half of 
boiling water, and stir thoroughly. Strain through a tea- 
strainer, or a coarse cloth; if neither is at hand, let the 
mixture stand two or three minutes; then drain off all the 
fluid portion, leaving the coarser part of the meal in the 
bottom of the vessel. Set that which is drained off, over 
the fire, and stir till it boils; cook ten minutes, and skim. 

Oat Meal Gruel. =}= 

Into one quart of boiling water, stir a tablespoonful of 
oat meal ; boil thirty minutes, and strain through a tea- 
strainer, or a thin cloth. Or, you may omit the straining, 
and cook fifteen minutes longer. This method of making 
takes less meal than in the preceding recipe. 

Corn Meal Gruel. =§= 

Stir a tablespoonful of corn meal into a quart of boiling 
water, and cook half an hour; stir frequently, and do not 
scorch the gruel. The meal should be rather fine, and per- 
fectly fresh. 

Wheat Meal Gruel. =§= 

Stir two tablespoonf uls of wheat meal into a quart of 
boiling water, and cook fifteen minutes without scorching; 
add the meal very slowly, to avoid lumping. When done, 
strain through a thin cloth, or fine strainer. 



part ii.] foods for the sick. 231 

Kice Gruel. 
Look over and wash two tablespoonfuls of rice, and put 
it into a quart of cold water; set where it will cook moder- 
ately, and stir or shake at intervals to keep it from sticking. 
After it begins to boil, cook half an hour; then squeeze 
through a coarse cloth, or strain through a fine colander, 
mashing the rice with a spoon to press out the fluid. If 
wanted on short notice, start the rice in boiling water, and 
cook till soft ; or soak it beforehand, and boil in the water 
used for soaking , it will cook in twenty minutes. 

Bice Mush.+ 
Cook the same as for rice gruel (except the straining), and 
serve without seasoning. 

Dry Toast.+ 
Take cold-water loaf bread, or leavened Graham bread, 
two or three days old, and slice it thin; toast slowly to an 
even brown, leaving the bread free from moisture, and with 
no burnt edges. It should be eaten dry. 

Potato Soup.=§= 
Wash and pare two or three potatoes of medium size; 
they must be of good quality, and not the least bit sun- 
burnt; quarter, or cut in thick pieces, but do not slice them. 
Drop into a pot containing one quart of boiling water, 
cover, and cook fast thirty to forty minutes, stirring fre- 
quently to break up the lumps. If in that time the water 
has thickened sufficiently, strain through a fine colander, 
and serve warm. But if after boiling the soup should be 
too thin, skim out the lumps, mash fine, and return to the 
kettle; boil a few minutes longer, and then strain. If 
wanted on short notice, slice the potatoes as thin as possible, 
and boil rapidly twenty minutes, with occasional stirring. 
Then strain, and serve. 



232 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. 



Dried Peach Soup. 



Look over, trim, and wash carefully a handful or two of 
good peaches ; then put them in a porcelain kettle, add 
enough boiling water to make them quite juicy, and stew 
moderately till tender. Remove from the fire as soon as 
done. If there is not sufficient juice at the last, or if what 
there is looks dark and tastes strong, add a little boiling 
water. If the soup is not wanted immediately, set the fruit 
away till cold. "When ready to make, take a cup one-third 
full of cooked peaches, and fill it with the juice; put this 
into a small fruit-kettle or tin basin, and set it on the stove. 
Then add nearly as much boiling water as there is juice; 
make a little thickening by mixing a teaspoonful of flour 
with two tablespoonfuls of cold milk or water, and stir it 
in. After the soup begins to boil, cook five minutes ; then 
cool to about blood heat, and serve. 

FOODS FOR INFANTS. 

The best food for a babe is its mother's milk, provided 
she is in good health. When the mother can not nurse her 
child, the best substitute is a healthy wet-nurse. If the lat- 
ter is not to be obtained, take the milk of one cow, in 
healthy condition and properly fed; avoid that of an}?- ani- 
mal fed on slops or swills, as it is not only injurious to the 
child, but actually poisonous. For the new-born babe, get 
if possible the milk of afresh cow; and at all times let the 
age of the calf correspond very nearly to that of the child. 
The milk should be given as it comes from the cow (the 
newer, the better), undiluted with water, and without 
sweetening; if cold, it must be warmed to blood heat. 
When cow's milk can not be had, goat's will answer, pro- 
vided the animal is well fed, and healthy. If the infant 
takes the bottle, always have two on hand, so that one can 
be cleansed and sweetened, while the other is filled. The 



PART II.] FOODS FOR INFANTS. 233 

black rubber nipple is said to be better for the child than 
the white. 

If milk of good quality can not be secured, then make a 
gruel of either oat or wheat meal; the grain should of 
course be the very best, well cleaned, and properly ground. 
The meal too must be fresh, and not very coarse; prepare 
according to the recipes already given, only make the gruel 
a little thinner, and cook nearly twice as long; strain care- 
fully. 

Never give to a babe arrow-root, white crackers, or other 
concentrated foods; these produce constipation, and other 
derangements of the alimentary canal. Most of the arti- 
ficial foods that are manufactured especially for infants, 
tend to constipate. When there is that condition of the 
bowels, it is often corrected by giving a little of the juice 
of ripe cooked fruits, as strawberries, apples, peaches, 
grapes, etc. ; the juice of cooked dried fruits, as apples, 
peaches or prunes, may also be given. 

As the child grows, and the bones and teeth develop, it is 
a good plan, where it is " raised by hand," to give milk and 
oat meal gruel mixed, half and half. Rice cooked soft and 
mixed with milk, is also good. 

Many young children die annually in our cities from 
being fed on swill milk, and the milk of slop-fed cows; and 
many persons of all ages die from eating fruits and vege- 
tables that are stale. Not a few nursing children are killed 
indirectly, by the same things; the mother eats the stale 
material, and the child suffers from it. Another cause of 
sickness among children, is overfeeding. A young infant, 
whether it nurses or takes the bottle, does not require to 
be fed oftener than once in two or three hours — some say 
a longer time ; and after it is three months old, once in four 
or five hours is sufficient. Nursing frequently through the 
niirbt, is a bad practice, both for mother and child. It is 
indeed questionable whether a babe that nurses the last 



234 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET II. 

thing at night, really needs anything more until morning. 
The truth is, more children die from overfeeding, than from 
defective nutrition. 

PRESERVING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 

Fruits and vegetables may be preserved hygienically by 
drying, by refrigeration, and by canning; and recently, a 
process which may be called evaporation, has been applied 
to fruit juice in the making of jelly. 

Drying Fruits. 

In the drying of fruits, much of their fine flavor escapes 
by evaporation; and that method is of course the best, 
which, while it most facilitates the drying process, is least 
wasteful of their natural juices. What is known as " Bos- 
well's Heater and Drier," is constructed with this idea in 
view; and the fruit dried in it is said to be almost as fine in 
flavor as when gathered from the tree. The " Alden" proc- 
ess is also recommended; it certainly does its work rapidly, 
and the apples look well. But it has been questioned 
whether their flavor is perfectly preserved ; whether in 
slicing them so exceedingly thin, a large per cent, of it may 
not be lost by evaporation, and the fruit rendered insipid. 
On the other hand, that dried wholly in the sunshine is 
cured so slowly, and is so much exposed to currents of air, 
that it loses by long-continued evaporation, much of its 
nutritive value. A good plan with soft, juicy fruit, is to set 
it into a hot oven, and heat through before putting it in the 
sunshine. This starts the juice, and a film forms on the 
surface of it, which holds in solution the nutrient particles 
until they are absorbed in the more solid meshes of the 
fruit. Peaches dried in this way are very rich, and fine- 
flavored. 

Small fruits, as berries, cherries, etc., are good dried in 
the following way: Put them on old plates or earthen pie- 



PART II.] PRESERVING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 235 

pans, sprinkle a little sugar over, and set in the oven till 
fairly heated through; then finish around the stove, or on 
shelves above it. As the drying proceeds, stir occasionally, 
and let the juices that have escaped be reabsorbed. If 
there is a hot sun, the fruit after it is heated in the oven, 
may be set outside to dry under fine wire screens, which 
will keep flies and other insects from it. All fruit that is 
dried in the open air, should be thoroughly heated before it 
is packed away ; this will prevent it from getting wormy. 
\pples that are tart enough to cook to pieces and make a 
smooth sauce, may be stewed in as little water as possible, 
then spread on plates, and dried in an oven or dry-house. 
When soaked, make into pies, or use for sauce. Peaches 
and other pulpy fruits, can be dried in the same way. 

None but the best quality of fruit should be reserved for 
drying, and it should not be overripe. 

Drying Vegetables. 

Some vegetables are very good gathered while green, and 
dried for winter use; among these are garden peas, Lima 
beans, and other shell beans. They must be gathered and 
dried before they begin to ripen — or when they are just 
right for the table. Peas especially, if too ripe, lose their 
sweetness and fine flavor. 

Green corn is excellent dried as follows : Take ears that 
are young and tender, either the evergreen, or the white (or 
yellow) flint; boil ten minutes, or until the milk sets; then 
split the grains with a sharp knife, and scrape out the corn, 
leaving the hulls on the cob. Spread it on plates, and dry, 
either in an oven or dry-house, or in the hot sun; stir well 
from time to time. Be sure it does not sour in the process; 
when dried in the sun, a good plan is to set the corn, 
already scraped out, into a pretty hot oven, and scald or 
" cook " it before finishing out of doors. To prevent its 
getting wormy, heat thoroughly before putting it away; this 



236 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

will kill the ova, that may have been deposited by flies. Im- 
mediately after heating, put it where the flies can not touch 
it. You can tie it securely in paper bags, and hang in a dry, 
dark place; or you may put it into stone jars, filling them 
within an inch of the top, and then tie over each a paper or 
cloth, free from holes, and tightly stretched. 

Corn may also be prepared for drying in this way: With 
a thin sharp knife shave off the tip ends of the grain, and 
throw them away; then slice very thin, until three-fourths 
of the corn is removed from the cob, and scrape out 
the remainder with a dull knife; this leaves the harsher 
part of the hull on the cob. Put the corn in pans, and dry 
as before. 

Sweet potatoes are sometimes dried for winter use as 
follows: First boil them in very little water, or steam until 
tender; remove the skins with any defects, slice rather thin, 
and dry in an oven or dry-house. 

Pumpkins are dried for pies in winter, in the following 
manner: Prepare and stew, as in the recipe heretofore given, 
until a smooth sauce is made; it should be pretty dry when 
done. Then spread evenly in rather a thin sheet, on a 
smooth board. Dry before a fire, or in the hot sun. It 
must be soaked over night in a little water, before using. 
Pumpkins of fine texture and thoroughly ripe, are some- 
times simply cut in slices, and dried the same as apples; 
when you make into pies, soak the dried pieces over night 
in just enough water to cover them; then mash fine before 
mixing the batter. 

EVAPORATING PrUIT JUICES. 

This is a new process, but one that deserves the attention 
of hygienists. If by rapidly evaporating the more watery 
portions, we can preserve the juices of fruits with all their 
delicate flavors, and make them available at all seasons of 
the year, it is indeed a most valuable art, and one that 



PART II.] PRESERVING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. 237 

should be better understood. The following extract, clipped 
from a daily paper and taken from the New York Journal 
of Commerce, is evidently a mere fragment of an article on 
this subject: 

" As the juice ran fresh from the apples, before it could 
begin to ferment, it was conducted in a pipe to a large open 
evaporating-pan over a rude brick furnace. The cider 
flowed steadily in a stream into one end of the pan, which 
was some ten or twelve feet long, meandering through the 
compartments ; it boiled as it progressed, and foamed up 
at the further end, where it was drawn off and poured into 
clean new wooden tubs and pails (made on the spot), and 
became a clear, solid claret-colored jelly, without addition 
of sugar or anything else. It is a method of utilizing cider, 
reducing it to a form which well repays long transportation 
to market; and it adds to the city table a luxury fully equal 
to expensive jellies, at a very low price. The jelly is sold 
at the factory for about a dollar a gallon in the package. 
This is a simpler, cheaper, and more remunerative, as well 
as more useful product of apples, than cider brandy; and I 
marvel now at the orchards loaded with fruit, which I saw 
two years ago, and this year in New Hampshire, rotting 
ungathered because it would not pay to pick them. They 
told me at this cider-mill, that they were paying eight to 
twelve cents a bushel for apples delivered at the mill. The 
most accessible railway station is eighteen miles distant, at 
Shelbume Falls, in Massachusetts. I recommend apple 
jelly, made without sugar or gelatine, as a capital addition 
to good mutton." 

A process similar to this, if not identical with it, is that 
already described in the making of an article called "Po- 
marius," under the head of Fruits and Fruit Juices. By 
this process it would seem that making fruit jellies without 
the addition of sugar, is not only possible, but (in the near 
future certainly) practicable. 



238 health in the household. [paet ii. 

Refrigeration. 

Fruits and vegetables can be kept for a long time in a 
room attached to an ice-house, where the temperature will 
not rise above or fall below forty degrees, Fahrenheit. The 
passage leading to it should have two or more doors to ex- 
clude the external air. 

But the method of preserving which is most resorted to, 
because it is within the reach of all, is that of sealing in 
air-tight jars or cans. Fruits, vegetables, and even meats, 
are perfectly kept in this way. 



CANNING FRUITS, Etc.+ 

By this process, fruits of all kinds may be preserved 
with or without sugar, by simply stewing them, and sealing, 
boiling hot, in tin or glass cans from which the air has been 
excluded. They will keep a year in good condition, losing 
very little of their fine flavor. 

General Directions. 

A day or two before you commence canning for the sea- 
son, look over all the jars,* covers, etc., and see that they 
are clean and in order. If the kettles, colander, funnel and 
other utensils have given out, they must be replaced with 
new ones. And if some of the jars require sealing-wax, 
have that on hand, together with a supply of clean tin 
covers, and the wires that hold them in place. If bottles 
are to be used, look to the corks; see that they fit well, and 
are all clean. Select kettles that are the right size for your 
stove, and well made; the porcelain-lined are best; those 
made of granitized iron will answer, though they are so 
thin that the fruit is apt to scorch in the bottom. Lids 
made of this material are better than tin, as they do not 



* The terms, "can," and "jar," are used interchangeably. 



PART II.] CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 239 

corrode. You will need a funnel and dipper of the same 
ware; or the latter may be porcelain. 

Do not use cans made of tin; acid fruits corrode it, and 
are poisoned by it. Besides, much of the tin now made 
contains large quantities of lead; and this being easily cor- 
roded is doubly poisonous. Even stone ware is not to be 
relied on; its surface is usually full of small holes, render- 
ing it porous; and a great deal of this ware is lined with 
lead-glaze, rendering its use dangerous. Good glass jars 
are the best, and in the end the cheapest; the "Mason," 
the " Hero," and the " Gem," have all been used; the Mason 
especially, has been a great favorite; but some of recent 
make are not to be compared with the older jars; the glass 
is thin and poor, and some of the covers fit badly, owing to 
the defective finish of the cans. 

The best material for covers, as well as jars, is glass; if 
they are made of zinc, they should .be porcelain-lined. 
The jars, to be well made, should be of good glass, uniform 
in thickness, and of sufficient weight; the covers also should 
be perfectly fitted. When the fruit is emptied from the 
cans, the covers and rubbers should be carefully washed, 
dried, and put away for another season; the rubbers ought 
not to stand in very hot water, as it spoils them. Zinc 
covers that have been used, must be rubbed with sapolio 
and water till clean and smooth, and then thoroughly rinsed 
and dried. Any cans to which covers can not be perfectly 
fitted, should be set aside; you can sometimes fill them for 
temporary use, in case you run short of good ones. If tin 
cans are used, the fruit should all be emptied out, immedi- 
ately after they are opened; for as soon as the air reaches the 
inside, the contents will be more or less affected by the metaL 

In preparing for canning put the fruit over the fire, and 
while it is coming to a boil bring the jars, covers, rubbers, 
dipper, funnel, etc., and lay them on the table; bring also 
a wooden paddle, silver spoon, small dish for emptyings, 



240 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

cloths for drying, and a wide tin basin to set the cans in 
while filling. Place all on a table near the stove, and have 
plenty of hot water ready. 

The following method of filling is a good one, and it has 
the merit of breaking no jars: When the fruit is sufficiently 
cooked, take the wide tin basin, set it as near the stove as 
possible (either on the stove-hearth, or on a table near at 
hand), and fill it, say one-third full of very hot, but not 
boiling water; too hot to hold the hand in. Then introduce 
a can sidewise, roll it over- and over quickly in the water, 
and set it right side up in the basin, with the water in and 
around it. Introduce another can in the same way, and 
continue the process till the bottom of the basin is nearly 
covered; it will hold perhaps four jars. Drop the covers 
also into a basin of very hot water. Now, the kettle of 
boiling fruit being at hand, turn down one of the jars in 
the basin of hot water, roll it over quickly, empty it, and 
adjust the funnel, which should be small enough to fit into 
its mouth. Then with a dipper pour in, rather slowly at 
first, a little of the syrup; follow with the fruit, until you 
have filled the jar; see if there are any air-bubbles entan- 
gled in the meshes of the fruit. If so, dip the silver spoon 
into the hot mass in the kettle, and then introduce it down 
the sides of the jar and through its contents, in such a 
manner as to let out the air; if when the latter escapes the 
fruit has settled preceptibly, add a little juice, until the jar 
is almost brimming. This done, wipe the moisture from 
the top of the can, and place the elastic on smoothly; then 
lift a cover from the basin of hot water near by, dry it, and 
screw it on till it clasps the rubber tightly all around. Do 
all this in less time than it takes to tell it — or at any rate, 
as quickly as possible. If there are any doubts about the 
jar being air-tight, turn it upside down, and see if bubbles 
rise through the fruit. If the rubbers are old and stiff, dip 
them into hot water and then out, wiping dry before using. 



PART n. I CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 241 

Xow set the jar to one side, and proceed to fill another; if 
you have an assistant, let her adjust the rubber and cover 
while you fill the next. After the jars are cool enough to 
handle, screw the tops again; and when fully cold, give them 
another twist. Indeed, the best plan is to let them stand 
at least twenty-four hours, and tighten from time to time. 
Last of all, wipe them clean with a damp cloth, and set 
away in a dark closet; or if you have no dark place, wrap 
each can in brown paper, to exclude the light; the cooler 
the place the better, provided the fruit does not freeze. 
Examine it carefully, every few days for the first two or 
three w r eeks, and occasionally afterward, to see if it is 
keeping well. If mould appears, the can should be opened 
and the fruit used, care being taken to remove the mouldy 
portion. 

A plan that is said to be perfect (and it is easier, certain- 
ly, than the one just given), is the following : Wring a loose 
crash towel out of warm or tepid water, leaving it pretty 
wet ; fold it several thicknesses, and either lay it in the 
bottom of an empty basin, or on the corner of the table, 
close to the fruit-kettle. Place the jar on the folded towel, 
adjust the funnel to its mouth, and then put into the can a 
long silver spoon which has just been dipped into tepid 
water ; proceed to fill with the fruit, pouring it in slowly at 
first. When the jar is full wipe off the moisture, adjust the 
rubber, and then put on the cover as before. Some fill 
without the spoon, relying simply on the wet towel ; but it 
is safer to use the former, as it is a good medium for con-r 
ducting and diffusing the heat. An iron spoon would do 
just as well, if it did not discolor the fruit ; some use a wire 
or knitting-needle. 

A very good plan when one has the proper appliances, is 
to fill the cans with fruit, adding water to make it suffi- 
ciently juicy ; then heat with steam to thoroughly expel the 
aii\ and seal. 



242 health in the household. [paet ii. 

Sealing with Wax. 

Fruit can be kept perfectly in glass jars, sealed with wax; 
the latter is usually made by melting rosin with a little 
bees-wax, and a very little beef tallow. The following are 
said to be good proportions : One pound rosin, two ounces 
bees-wax, and one and a half ounces tallow, melted to- 
gether. When the cans are ready to fill, melt the wax, but 
do not heat it very hot ; dip in the fruit, wipe the moisture 
from the top of each jar, and put on the cover ; then slip a 
wire (bent for the purpose) over the top to keep the cover 
in place, and pour in enough wax to fill the groove even 
full. 

If bottles are used, or jars with small mouths, put in well- 
fitting corks softened by dipping into hot water ; force 
them down securely, and cover well with wax ; if air-bub- 
bles form in it puncture them, and fill the cavities with 
more wax. You will need to inspect the tops closely, until 
the wax is nearly or quite cold. 

Special Directions. 

Under the head of " Fruits and Fruit Juices," the reader 
will find details for preparing fruits of all kinds, either for 
stewing or canning. There is also a table given, showing 
the relative proportions, by measurement, of sugar (where 
any is used), cold water, and fruit — the latter as prepared 
for the kettle. By a " cup " is meant half a pint. The pro- 
portions given may not suit all tastes, nor all latitudes, as 
fruits vary with the climate^ both in juiciness and sweet- 
ness. However, the rules here given will serve at least as a 
guide ; and it will be an easy matter to adjust the quanti- 
ties after one or two trials. Remember always to heat or 
stew the fruit slowly. 

For convenient reference— serviceable to those who al- 
ready understand the details of putting up fruit — the fol- 
lowing bare outline is given : 



PART II.] CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 243 

Apples. — Take for canning, apples that have a fine sub- 
acid flavor ; then quarter and core, or cut into eighths, add 
cold water enough to make them sufficiently juicy, and cook 
slowly till soft ; the pieces should not be broken. Prepare 
sweet apples and quinces in the same way, except that you 
start the quinces first, half cooking them before the apples 
are added. Can in glass. 

Peaches. — Select fine fruit, not too ripe ; it should be 
firm to the touch. Pare thin, remove the pits provided 
the peaches are not clingstones, and allow about one quart 
of cold water (less for very juicy fruit) to six quarts of 
peaches, prepared and cut ; bring slowly to a boil and can. 
Rosy "clings" canned with the stones in, make the best 
sauce. 

Pears. — The Bartlett or other tart variety is best for can- 
ning ; remove the paring with a very thin knife, cut in 
halves, and take out the cores. Then add about one quart 
cold water to seven quarts of cut fruit, bring slowly to a 
boil, and set bacJi where the kettle will simmer gently, 
nearly or quite an hour ; then dip into cans. Keep the 
pieces as whole as possible. 

Plums. — For damsons, allow five pints cold water to five 
quarts of fruit ; cook slowly, and when they come to a boil, 
skim ; then add two cups of sugar, cook slowly about ten 
minutes, and put into glass cans. 

Green or blue gages require less water and sugar than 
the damsons, and scarcely any cooking ; three pints water 
and one cup of sugar for six quarts of fruit, would be 
enough. The plums must be rather hard ; if beginning to 
soften, they will fall to pieces. 

Grapes. — Take about one-third as much cold water as there 
are grapes picked from the stems — or two quarts water to 
six quarts fruit ; bring slowly to a boil, skim, and cook or 
simmer five to eight minutes ; then can. 

Grape Juice. — Add one-third as much cold water as you 
17 J 



244 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

iiave of stripped grapes ; for an ordinary kettle, take two 
quarts water and six quarts fruit. Bring slowly to a boil, 
then skim, and strain through a cheese-cloth ; or an ordi- 
nary flour-sack will answer. Or you may rub as much of 
the pulp as possible through an earthen (or granitized iron) 
colander, if you have one ; then squeeze the remainder 
through a cloth. Heat again slowly to a boil, and put into 
glass cans or bottles. Much cooking or a hot fire, darkens 
the juice. 

Strawberries. — Wash quickly (in a colander), if the berries 
require it ; remove the caps, and stew slowly, allowing one 
quart of cold water to five quarts of fruit, ready for the 
kettle. Take off the scum as it rises, and then add two- 
thirds of a cup of sugar — less, if the berries are pretty ripe ; 
and some use none at all. Simmer slowly ten to fifteen 
minutes ; then put the fruit into glass cans, carefully remove 
the air-bubbles by passing a silver spoon through the heated 
mass, and seal securely with wax. Further directions for 
canning this fruit will be given on another page. 

Strawberry Juice. — Prepare the fruit, add the water as 
above, and heat to a boil ; then skim, and cook slowly five 
to eight minutes. Strain through a coarse cloth, add the 
sugar, and heat again to boiling. Put the juice into cans 
or bottles, and seal. 

Currants. — Wash in a colander, strip the currants from 
the stems, and add three quarts of cold water to five quarts 
of the prepared fruit. Heat slowly to a boil, skim, and stir 
in a cup of sugar ; heat again rather slowly, till the mass is 
boiling hot, and then can in glass. 

Currant Juice. — Prepare and stew the same as the last 
(three quarts water to five quarts stripped currants), and 
after skimming strain through a cloth ; then add a cup of 
sugar, heat again to boiling, not too rapidly, and put into 
glass cans or bottles. 

Raspberries. — For black caps, allow five pints of cold 



PART H.] CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 245 

water to five quarts of fruit ; heat to a boil, skim, and add 
half a cup of sugar. Cook slowly five minutes, and dip 
into glass cans. 

Red raspberries require less water, and a little more sugar; 
two quarts of water and two-thirds of a cup of sugar to 
five quarts of the fruit. 

Raspberries and Currants. — Take one quart of currants 
stripped from the stems, and four quarts of black caps ; add 
five pints of cold water, and heat to a boil. Skim, add half 
a cup of sugar, and cook slowly five minutes ; then can in 
glass. 

Raspberry and Currant Juice. — Prepare as above, except 
to strain through a cloth before adding the sugar ; then 
heat to a boil, and seal in glass cans or bottles. 

Blackberries. — To five quarts of berries add three pints 
cold water, and bring to a boil ; then skim, stir in three- 
fourths of a cup of sugar, heat again slowly, and put into 
glass cans. 

Blackberry Juice. — Prepare as in the last, straining 
through a cloth before the sugar is added ; then heat again 
to boiling, and seal in glass cans or bottles. 

Gooseberries. — Select berries that are turning red, but 
not fully ripe ; wash well, remove the stems and blossoms, 
and allow two quarts of cold water to six quarts of fruit. 
Heat to a boil, skim, and add two cups of sugar ; cook 
slowly five to eight minutes, then dip into glass cans and 
seal. 

Gooseberry Juice. — Never mind the stems and blossoms ; 
wash well, and stew the same as the last, except that you 
strain through a coarse cloth or colander before the sugar 
is added ; then heat again to boiling, and fill the jars ; 
these must be glass. Or — a better way — you may sweeten 
and can the berries if you like, and strain when they are 
opened ; you can then press them through an ordinary tin 
colander, as the cold fruit does not corrode it. 



246 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

May Cherries. — Wash the cherries in a colander, drain 
well, and stew, rejecting any that are decayed or wormy. 
If you want the fruit for temporary use, you may leave in 
the seeds ; then, to five quarts of stemmed cherries allow 
three pints of cold water, and two-thirds of a cup of sugar. 
If the fruit is very juicy take less water by about one-third. 
Or if intended for winter use, remove the seeds, and take 
three pints of water to five quarts of seeded cherries ; bring 
slowly to a boil, and skim if necessary. Add one full cup 
of sugar, and as soon as the mass is thoroughly heated 
seal in glass cans. Too much cooking destroys the flavor 
of the cherries. 

Morello Cherries. — Wash, stem, and look over carefully, 
leaving in the seeds ; the knotty cherries may be pitted, and 
either canned separately or stewed for sauce. To five 
quarts of stemmed fruit allow two quarts of cold water ; 
then bring to a boil, and skim. Stir in one cup of sugar, 
heat again to boiling, and fill the cans ; these must be glass. 
If put up for pies, allow two quarts of water to five quarts 
of seeded cherries, and add two heaping cups of sugar. 

Cranberries. — Pick out the very soft berries, and all that 
are affected with "dry rot." After washing, allow three 
pints of cold water to two quarts of fruit. Stew very 
slowly fifteen to twenty minutes, skimming well ; then add 
one cup of sugar, cook a moment longer, and put into glass 
cans. When you open, strain through a colander to remove 
the skins. You may strain before sealing, if you like ; but 
in this case use an earthen colander, or a coarse cloth ; the 
hot juice will corrode tin. If the berries are very ripe, 
allow a little more water, and less sugar. 

Strawberries. — How best to Can. 

Strawberries are thought to be more difficult to keep 
when canned than almost any other fruit ; and it has puz- 
zled many to understand just why they should give so 



PART II.] CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 247 

much trouble. It is believed, however, that the mystery is 
at last solved ; and that the whole difficulty — after reason- 
able care in excluding the air-bubbles — comes from the fact 
that the berries (in the cans that spoil) rise above the juice 
which should cover them, and begin to mould in consequence 
of the small particles of air confined in their meshes. The 
proper thing to do in this case is to keep watch of the cans, 
and as the fruit rises shake it down into the liquid contents 
below ; in other words, saturate the berries with the juice, 
until they sink to the bottom by their own weight ; then 
they will be found to keep, without further difficulty. 
Should any can be neglected too long, and mould begin to 
f omi on the surface, it must be opened at once, and the fruit 
used before it is further affected. 

A lady who cans strawberries every year, and whose au- 
thority must be heeded, inasmuch as she has never lost a 
jar, gives the following directions, founded on her own ex- 
perience : 

" Have good sound berries, put in water to make them 
quite juicy, and when they begin to boil skim off the froth. 
Cook a few minutes over a moderate fire, till the mass is 
thoroughly heated through ; and keep the fruit pushed 
down under the hot liquid. Then dip into glass cans (self- 
sealing) which you have rolled over and over in very hot 
water ; let out the air-bubbles by running a silver spoon 
through the berries, remove any froth that rises, and fill 
almost to the brim. Wipe the moisture from the tops of 
the cans, adjust the rubbers (also dry), and screw on the 
covers ; these should be kept in a warm place till needed — 
though a quicker way is to dip them into hot water, tak-? 
them out, and dry with a cloth before using. I generally 
leave out the sugar, as I like the berries better unsweetened ; 
sometimes I sweeten a few cans, 'just for company.' As 
the fruit cools screw the covers again ; and keep up this 
tightening process for a day or two ; then set the cans 



248 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

away in a cool, dark place. If after a short time the berries 
rise to the top — and they frequently do — take each can in 
your hands and shake it gently, moving it back and forward 
till all the fruit sinks to the bottom, or low enough to be en- 
tirely covered by the juice ; the berries will not rise a second 
time. I always pursue this plan, and my strawberries 
never spoil." 

Tomatoes. — How to Can. 

Tomatoes are said by some to be hard to keep. That the 
fault is in the management and not in the tomatoes, is 
shown from the fact that some persons have no trouble 
with them. The whole difficulty is caused by the retention 
of air-bubbles ; these, if present, can be detected by turning 
the jar upside down after sealing, when the bubbles will 
rise through the contents up to the surface. If you will care- 
fully expel these intruders before screwing on the covers, 
the tomatoes will keep perfectly. To do this, proceed as 
follows : If the tomatoes are pretty ripe they will be quite 
soft when cooked, and the confined bubbles of air will be 
all through them. As soon as they come to a boil, push 
down the top ones, so that all may be thoroughly scalded ; 
then fill the can, pass a silver spoon through the hot mass, 
moving it in such a way as to let the bubbles escape to the top ; 
these can frequently be seen through the glass, down the 
sides of the jar. When you feel sure that they are all let 
out, pour in a little more juice if it is needed (the can 
should be filled almost to its brim), then wipe off the moist- 
ure, put on the dry rubber, and screw down the cover. 
After the jars have partly cooled, give the covers a second 
twist, then turn each one upside down, and see if any bub- 
bles ascend ; if so, it must be opened, the tomatoes heated 
again to boiling, and the can^ refilled in the same careful 
manner. 

A better way, however, if you can get the tomatoes, is- 






FAUT II.] CANNING FRUITS, ETC. 249 

this: Select those that are not too ripe — a little firm to the 
touch; smooth, round ones of medium size, are the best. 
Peel without scalding, as it makes them less soft; the knife 
must be thin and sharp. Put them into the kettle whole — 
or if large, cut once through from stem to blossom; then 
heat rather slowly, until the whole mass is thoroughly hot, 
and boiling; skim if there is need. The jars being in order 
proceed to fill, first pouring in a very little juice ; then lift 
out the tomatoes, one at a time, and when the can is almost 
filled dip in the juicy portion, at the same time introducing 
a large spoon, and firmly pressing down the tomatoes, which 
will send the air-bubbles to the top. When no more juice 
can be added, dry the moisture from the can, adjust the 
rubber, and seal as before. The covers must be tightened 
two or three times; once after the jars are entirely cold. 
With these precautions the tomatoes ought all to keep; 
though it is generally safe to apply the test, that of invert- 
ing the can after it is sealed, and cool enough to handle. 
The jars must be set in a closet or other dark place, and in- 
spected occasionally the first few weeks, to see that they are 
all in order; if mould begins to appear the can must be 
opened, the specks of mould carefully removed, and the 
tomatoes used. 

Glass cans that seal with wax, are thought to keep toma- 
toes better than those that are self-sealing; owing perhaps 
to the fact that the latter are not always well made. Tin 
cans are good to exclude the air, but as already stated, the 
acid corrodes the metal more or less, and the oxide of tin 
is formed. For this reason glass is always preferable, even 
for tomatoes. If tin is used, however, it should be of the 
very best quality, and the cans opened before there is any 
decided metallic taste imparted to their contents. Very few 
brands are good after eight or ten months. When the tin 
is poor, the acid corrodes it in a short time. 



250 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

To Can Vegetables. 

The writer has had no experience in canning vegetables, 
except it be the tomato. It is said that the difficulty hither- 
to experienced in preserving them, is due to not cooking 
long enough to expel the air; that beans, peas, corn, etc., to 
keep well, should be cooked till ready for the table, before 
they are put into cans. Good tin cans, securely soldered, 
will no doubt preserve vegetables best; though a lady who 
has tried glass jars, sealed with wax, has had no trouble 
with corn and tomatoes. She puts them up as follows: 

Peel and slice the tomatoes, put them into a porcelain 
kettle, and place over a moderate fire. Then prepare an 
equal quantity of corn; with a sharp knife shave off the 
tip ends of the grains, and throw them away; then slice 
thin, cutting off nearly all the corn, and scraping out at the 
last, leaving the coarser part of the hull on the cob. Put it 
into a separate kettle and cook twenty minutes, or until 
done. Then turn the corn and tomatoes together, heat till 
they are boiling hot, and dip into glass cans; seal securely 
with wax; and if any little air-bubbles form in it, puncture 
them, and fill with more wax. When quite cold, wrap each 
can in brown paper, and set in a cool, dark closet. 

MISCELLANY. 

Storing for Winter Use. 

Fruits and vegetables should be handled with the great- 
est care, both in gathering and storing, as every little bruise 
leads to decay. They keep best in an apartment that is 
dry, and as cool as it can be without freezing. The bin 
for potatoes should not only be dry and cool, but dark, as 
they, of all vegetables, are most susceptible to light. Pota- 
toes in groceries are usually strong in taste, and some of 
them green in color, from standing near a door or window; 



PART II.] MISCELLANY. 251 

the}' should be kept in a dry, dark cellar till sold. Sweet 
potatoes are very susceptible to the touch; they should be 
handled " like eggs," as the least bruising causes them to 
decay. They keep best in dry sand, in a warm, dry place. 
The store-room should be well ventilated, and the apples, 
potatoes, etc., thoroughly aired, rendering them free from 
moisture, before they are put away in bins or barrels for 
winter. 

No decaying vegetables or fruits should be tolerated in 
cellars or store-rooms; hundreds of cases of typhoid fever, 
diphtheria, etc., are directly traceable to neglect in this 
respect. 

Packing Grapes. 

Take the late grapes, pick them carefully, and select 
bunches that are as perfect as possible, with the fruit un- 
broken. Put them in a cool room, spreading in layers on 
shelves ; let them remain two weeks; then pack in barrels 
with dry, hard-wood sawdust; bran will answer. Packed 
in this manner, the fruit is said to keep well through the 
winter. Of native grapes, the Delaware is thought to keep 
the longest; good Catawbas are often well preserved till 
Christmas. After packing, they should be put in a cool, 
dry place. 

Grapes will keep in good condition for several weeks, by 
dipping the end of the stem of perfect bunches into melted 
sealing-wax, then wrapping the bunches in tissue paper, and 
laying or suspending them in a dry, cool place. The more 
paper there is placed between them, the longer they will 
keep. 

The directions given above for preserving grapes, are 
taken nearly verbatim from Dr. Trail's new Cook-Book. 

To Keep Fruits and Vegetables. 

The following hints on keeping fruits and vegetables, are 
most of them taken from the Buckeye Cookery : 



252 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART 11* 

To Keep Turnips. — When buried deep in the earth, they 
will keep solid till March or April. 

To Keep Lemons. — Cover with cold water, changing it 
every week. This makes them more juicy. 

Herbs for Flavoring. — Gather on a dry day, just before, 
or while they are in blossom ; tie in bundles, blossoms 
downward. When perfectly dry pick off the leaves, pound, 
sift them fine, and cork up tight in bottles. 

Keeping Cabbages. — When the weather becomes frosty* 
cut them off near the head, and carry with the leaves on, 
to a dry cellar; then break off the outer ones, pack the cab- 
bages into a tight cask or box, stems upward, and when 
nearly full cover with the loose leaves; secure the box with 
a lid, against rats. A better way on the farm, is to dig a 
shallow trench, long enough to hold the cabbages, placing 
them two deep. Put them in, heads downward, and cover 
with clean earth till the stalks (which must be upright) are 
half or two-thirds hidden. The cabbages should be buried 
as soon as pulled, and they ought to keep nicely till spring. 

To Keep Apples. — Apples are usually kept on open 
shelves, easily accessible, so that the decaying ones may be 
removed. They are sometimes packed in layers of dry 
sand, care being taken not to let them touch each other. 
When they begin to decay pick out those that are specked, 
and stew; then put into self -sealing fruit cans, and use later 
in the season. Or you may pack in saAvdust, or any grain, 
as oats, barley, etc., so that they will not touch each other; 
or if the fruit is fine, wrap each apple in paper, and pack 
in boxes. 

To Keep Grapes. — Suspend from the ceiling by three 
cords, a strong barrel hoop, from which grape stems are 
hung by means of wire hooks attached to the small end, 
the other being sealed with hot wax; let each stem be free 
from contact with its neighbors. The imperfect grapes 
must be removed, and the room must be free from frost; 



PART II. j MISCELLANY. 253 

not too inoist, and yet not dry enough to wither them ; a 
dry cellar will answer. The simplest way to keep grapes is 
to place them in drawers holding about twenty-five pounds 
each, piling these one above another; or the drawers may 
be fitted into racks. The grapes must be mature and per- 
fect. They do not freeze as readily as apples. 

Packing Vegetables. — For present use, they should be 
laid away carefully in a bin with a close lid (hung on 
hinges), so that the light may be excluded. To keep for a 
longer time, the best plan is to pull them on a dry day, cut 
off the tops, and trim and pack in clean barrels or boxes ; 
place in layers, with fine, clean moss between, such as is found 
in abundance in the woods. The moss keeps them clean 
and sufficiently moist, preventing shriveling of the roots on 
the one hand, and absorbing any excess of dampness on the 
other. When moss can not be conveniently obtained, sand 
is a good substitute, but is more difficult to handle, and the 
vegetables do not come out of it so clean and fresh. The 
vaiieties which come to maturity late in the season are 
easiest to keep, and retain their flavor longest. 

Pure Water. 

Water, either for cooking or drinking, should be soft and 
pure. Carbonate of lime, and other inorganic substances 
often held in solution in it, are prolific causes of chronic 
affections of the kidneys, and also of acute and chronic 
diseases in the alimentary canal. If pure water can not be 
had from wells, running springs, or larger sources, rain water 
can be caught in cisterns, and rendered pure by means of a 
good filter. There are many now in the market, these 
varying in price and quality. The "Pasteur" is very 
highly recommended ; it is likewise quite expensive. There 
are also other good ones in common use. 

River water usually contains not only a considerable per 
cent, of vegetable and animal matters, but more or less 



254 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

clay, and other earthy sediment. These substances are 
always detrimental to health ; and if we value this, it be- 
comes a matter of paramount importance to purify the 
water from their presence. If river water must be used 
we can at least get rid of the mud by carefully filtering, or 
by boiling and settling. Some persons imagine that because 
these waters, with their loads of impurities, cause laxness 
of the bowels, they are therefore healthful. On the contrary, 
they render the liver and skin torpid, causing biliousness, 
and not unfrequently headaches ; they also irritate the mu- 
cous surfaces of the alimentary canal, causing the laxness 
in question, which often ends in chronic diarrhea. 

Cooking Utensils. 

All fruits and very many vegetables are injured by cook- 
ing in iron vessels, particularly if they cook sloivly in them. 
Even tin is not suitable for acid fruits. Brass and copper 
vessels are wholly unfit for culinary purposes. The por- 
celain-lined kettle, well made, is excellent ; but care must 
"be taken not to let it get dry or stand too near the fire, lest 
the enamel crack off. The granitized iron ware is good 
and tolerably durable (though rather thin), but more ex- 
pensive. 

There have of late years been patented a number of tin 
steamers, each furnished with a set of chambers for cooking 
several vegetables at the same time. They are said to cook 
perfectly, without the slightest admixture of flavors. Some 
of these are coming into general use, and will receive fur- 
ther notice. 

Loaf bread, pies, and many other articles are better 
cooked in an atmosphere that is confined as well as heated ; 
with an ordinary stove, much of the nutritive value of foods 
is lost through evaporation. In the olden times, our 
mothers baked bread and pies in a skillet — loaves, in a 
" Dutch oven " or bake-kettle — which was placed on a bed 



PART II. J ZrflSCELLANY. 255 

of coals near the main fire, and covered with a lid ; the 
latter had a deep rirn which held the coals on top. And 
such bread as came out of those ovens ! so sweet and good ! 
Then, there were the " brick ovens," which are still used by 
the bakers ; they held fifteen or twenty pies and several 
loaves of bread, all at the same time. Next to the " bake- 
kettles," these ovens baked the best pies and the sweetest 
bread that hungry mortal ever ate. But every housewife 
can not have a brick oven ; and so we are ivaiting for some 
" ingenious Yankee " to invent a baking apparatus that 
shall give us bread equal to the best. Some attempts have 
been made in this direction ; but as yet, the article invented 
has been too expensive and too clumsy to be of much value. 
"We need something that we can look into and see how the 
baking is progressing, if necessary ; besides, one does not 
like to lift two or three bulky things, pull them apart, close 
again, set back in the oven, and then get burned into the 
bargain. 

The following are some of the utensils, large and small, 
that are convenient to have in the kitchen ; several of them 
are named and described in the Buckeye Cookery : 

Apple-Parer. — A small machine for paring apples ; costs 
less than a dollar, and rarely gets out of order. 

Apple-Coeee. — A tin tube, tapering slightly from one end 
to the other ; costs only a few cents. 

C ax-Opener. — A stout, short knife, very convenient for 
opening tin cans ; quite inexpensive. 

Cream-Whtpper. — A small syringe, having the bottom per- 
forated with holes, through which the cream is forced back 
and forth until it becomes a froth. Costs twenty-five cents. 

Gravt-Straen t er. — Made of gauze wire, and can be used 
for other fluids than gravy. 

Tea-Strainer. — A small cup with a finely-perforated bot- 
tom ; useful to strain gruels and other liquids. 

Wire Basket. — A basket of tinned wire, which may be 



256 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART II. 

lowered into a kettle of boiling water. Yery convenient for 
scalding tomatoes. 

Steaming Kettle. — A small pan with a perforated bottom, 
lowered its full length into a deep kettle. Used to steam 
vegetables, puddings, etc. 

Fish-Kettle. — An oblong kettle for boiling fish ; it has a 
perforated bottom of tin, with handles at either end. The 
fish is placed on the perforated tin, lowered into the kettle, 
boiled, and when done lifted out, and gently slipped from 
the tin to the platter on which it is to be served. 

The Bain-Marie. — An open vessel that is filled with hot 
(not boiling) water, and set on the back of the stove or 
range. In this there are placed tin stew-pans or cups (with 
handles and tight covers) containing vegetables, sauces, and 
other articles that are to be kept warm. 

Porcelain Kettle. — This is an iron kettle, porcelain lined; 
it is the best fruit-kettle yet invented. 

Custard-Kettle. — The best is an iron vessel with strong 
handles, having a smaller one (also with a handle) fitted in- 
side of it, leaving a space around the latter for water. 
The inside vessel is lined with block-tin. The custard-kettle 
— sometimes called a farina-kettle — is used for boiling milk, 
cooking grains, or any articles that are easily scorched. 

Soup-Kettle. — A kettle with a double bottom, convenient 
for soup, and other things that require long and careful 
boiling. 

Tea-Kettle Boiler. — A long, tapering tin vessel with a 
handle, and made to lower into a tea-kettle ; it is large 
enough at the top to fill the opening, and long enough to 
reach to the bottom. The cover of the tea-kettle may be 
used to put over it. It serves for cooking gruels or custards, 
and as a steamer for puddings, steamed bread, etc., for a 
small family. 

Cake-Pan. — The bottom and sides are not permanently 
attached ; by unfastening the hooks that hold them together, 



PART II.] MISCELLANY. 257 

the pan opens, leaving the cake standing on the bottom of 
it, whence it is easily slipped, right side up to a plate. 
There is also a movable stem, which can be taken off when 
the pan is used for bread, puddings, etc. 

The Ferris Cooker. — This is a round pile of tin pans 
placed over an iron dish of boiling water, each ready for 
any food, as meat, poultry, vegetables, pies, puddings, or 
bread — all cooking at once, and all covered closely so as to 
retain the steam, by a round top that shuts down over every 
dish, and fits tightly into the reservoir of water beneath. It 
makes a tall pile on the stove, but takes up no more room 
than one kettle, and its height does not interfere with any 
other pot or sauce-pan that may be near. The "closed 
steamer " described below is not unlike it. 

The Warren Cooker is said to be constructed on a similar 
plan, and is very highly recommended ; it is better known 
in the Eastern cities than in the West. 

Closed Steamer. — A closed steamer — so often referred to 
in this book — differs from the ordinary one in admitting 
the steam into several chambers at once ; this is done, not 
by holes in the bottom, but through flues in the side. Like 
the Ferris Cooker, it can be used in cooking two or more 
different dishes at the same time ; the only precautions 
being, not to let the bottom vessel get dry, and always to 
keep the water at a fast boil ; if this is not done the steam 
will condense, and water collect in the chambers. Of 
course, the steamer should not be set off the fire unless ab- 
solutely necessary, and then only for a moment. 

The Gem Eoaster. — An iron pan, with # closely-fitting 
cover of the same material. It is used for roasting or broil- 
ing meats, fish, etc., and also for baking bread, biscuit, or 
cake. To roast meat, place it in the pan without water, fit 
on the cover, and set it into a moderate oven, closing the 
vent on top. Allow fifteen minutes to the pound, and do 
not uncover till done ; should the meat not be sufficiently 



258 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT II. 

browned, open the vent, and set the pan back in the oven 
ten minutes. To bake bread, put the dough into the pan, 
filling it two-thirds full ; set it in a warm place till light, 
then put on the cover, close the vent, and bake fifty minutes. 
Cake is baked in the same way. For broiling, etc., refer to 
the directions that are furnished with it. 

A Toaster.— The simplest is made of wire which holds 
the bread in place, and to which is attached a long wooden 
handle. A better, perhaps, is constructed out of a sheet of 
tin large enough to contain six slices of bread. The edges 
are turned up about half an inch, and bound with wire ; 
perforations are cut about two inches apart in the shape of 
a " V " through the bottom, and the sharp points turned up 
so as to penetrate and hold the bread in place. A stiff wire 
handle is fastened firmly to the middle of the back, so that 
the toaster is kept at the right angle before the fire ; and if 
it toasts too rapidly at top or bottom, it may easily be 
inverted. 

All cooking utensils should be made of materials that 
will not corrode easily. Granitized ironware is one of the 
best ; though aluminum is said to be good, and also durable. 

Some housewives have fallen into the dangerous habit of 
cooking their fruits and vegetables in glazed earthenware. 
Most of these vessels are lined with a leaden or other glaze 
that is highly poisonous. The injury done to the stomach 
and other organs, is not always felt at the time ; though if 
these vessels are corroded with fruits and fruit juices that 
are strongly acid, the immediate results may be very seri- 
ous. Such utensils are wholly unfit for cooking purposes, 
and they should never be used. 



PART III 



THE COMPROMISE. 

In the Compromise many dishes will be found, as pud- 
dings, custards, meats, etc., that are not so much as hinted 
at in the Hygienic Dietary, from the fact that they do not 
belong there. On the other hand, most of those dishes that 
have already been described, must, in the very nature of 
things, reappear in this, the "worldly" department. For 
example, there are some forty kinds of bread in Part H., 
more than half of which are made without yeast or soda. 
But since these are not sufficient for the popular demand, 
it has been thought necessary to introduce here still other 
varieties of the "staff of life," as steamed breads, corn 
cakes, Graham and corn muffins, Graham cream cakes, plain 
rusks, etc., etc. The steamed breads, though not the most 
wholesome, are, in the way of a change, greatly liked by 
some persons, particularly those who incline to rather soft 
bread. 

In the following recipes, if best Akron flour (made of 
white wheat) is used, no sifting will be needed. But if, as 
in ordinary Graham, the bran is cut in large flakes, it may 
be necessary to put the flour through a very coarse corn- 
meal sieve, to take out the rougher portions. In all steamed 
breads (or puddings) use white or golden flint corn meal, 
kiln dried and rather coarsely ground, if you can possibly 
get it. The sugar or other sweetening in these breads, may 
18 (259) 



260 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

be omitted if desired ; or chopped raisins or other sweet 
fruits may be substituted. If molasses or syrup is named 
in the recipe, beware of adulterations. You may perhaps 
be fortunate enough to have friends in the country who will 
furnish you the pure article ; good maple or sorghum, free 
from oil of vitriol, sulphuric acid, and other vile things. 

In making steamed breads mix the batter thoroughly, 
and beat well ; and if soda or baking-powder is used, steam 
immediately after stirring it in. Having poured the batter 
into a pan, well oiled, cover closely with an inverted plate 
or pie-pan, leaving plenty of room for the bread to swell, 
and set it in the steamer. Then cover the latter, place it 
over a kettle of boiling water, and steam till done ; keep the 
water at a fast boil, and do not lift the lid till the bread is 
taken out. The pan in which it is steamed may be tin, 
earthen, or granitized iron ware ; a wide one, and rather 
shallow, is best ; it gives more crust, and the bread is 
lighter. Steamed bread can be warmed over nicely, by 
dipping the remnant quickly into cold water, and laying it 
in a hot oven till it is well heated through. 

STEAMED BREAD. 

Whhaten and Indian Bread. =j£ 

2 cups* coarse corn meal — " flint," if you have it. 

1 cup Graham flour. 

2 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 teaspoonfulf soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
1 tablespoonful sugar. 
Time — two to three hours. 

Stir the corn meal and milk together, and add the Graham 
flour ; then add the sugar and dissolved soda, and beat very 

* A cup is half a pint. 

+ A teaspoonful (of soda) is the spoon scarcely more than level. 



PART III.] STEAMED BREAD. 261 

thoroughly. Pour the batter into a tin or earthen basin 
well oiled, cover closely, leaving room to swell, and set it in 
a steamer over a pot of boiling water. Steam from two to 
three hours, without lifting the lid ; then place in a quick 
oven, and brown ten minutes. 

Wheaten and Indian Bread. 4)= 

2^- cups coarse corn meal — " flint " preferred. 

1 cup Graham flour. 

2^ cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1J teaspoonfuls soda — dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two hours and a half. 

Form a batter of the meal, flour and milk, then add the 
dissolved soda, and beat well; pour immediately into a 
shallow pan previously oiled, cover, and steam two hours 
and a half; you must not uncover till done. Brown a few 
minutes in the oven, and send to the table. 

This bread is better mixed an hour or two beforehand, 
and the batter set in a warm place; the soda should be 
added, with thorough beating, the last thing before placing 
it in the steamer. 

Wheaten and Indian Bread. =f^ 

3 cups coarse corn meal — " flint " is best. 

1J " Graham flour. 

1 cup sour milk — or buttermilk. 

^ " pure molasses — or sugar. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Enough boiling water to scald the corn meal, and 

form a stiff batter. 
Time — three hours. 

Scald the corn meal the night before, forming a batter as 
stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, and set it in a moder- 



262 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT III. 

ately warm place. In the morning stir in the Graham flour 
and molasses (or sugar), and the cup of milk — or enough 
to form a batter that will pour. Set where it will not be 
very warm, lest it should sour. Three hours before dinner 
add the dissolved soda, and beat hard. Turn the batter 
into an oiled pan, cover, and set in the steamer. Keep the 
water at a fast boil, and steam three hours; then brown ten 
to fifteen minutes in the oven. 

Rye, Wheat and Indian. — (Excellent.)^ 

1 J cups coarse corn meal — " flint," if you have it. 

^ cup rye flour. 

1 " cracked wheat. 

3 cups sour milk — -or buttermilk. 

1J teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — fully three hours. 
Stir the cracked wheat into the sour milk, and let it soak 
at least an hour; then stir in the corn meal, rye flour and 
soda, and beat thoroughly. Steam all of three hours — 
longer would be better — and brown ten minutes in the oven 
at the last. Send warm to the table. 

Another. — Use the unbolted rye if you can get it, instead 
of rye flour; and Graham flour for cracked wheat; then 
proceed as before, except that two hours and a half will 
suffice for the steaming, though three would be better. 
Brown at the last. 

Rye, Wheat and Indian.^ 

1|- cups coarse meal — " flint " is best. 

1 cup (unbolted) rye meal.* 

i " Graham flour. 

3 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 






* Rye meal is unbolted rye llour. 



PART m.] STEAMED BREAD. 263 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 

1J teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — four hours. 

Make a batter of the above ingredients, and beat very 
thoroughly. Then pour it into an oiled pan, tin or earthen, 
leaving room to swell; cover, and set immediately in the 
steamer. Keep the water constantly boiling, and steam 
four hours without uncovering. When done place in the 
oven, and brown ten minutes before sending to the table. 

If preferred, the sugar may be omitted. This bread may 
be served without browning, as a pudding, with fruit sauce 
or lemon sauce. If eaten as a pudding, a cup of seeded 
raisins may be added before steaming. 

Eye, Wheat and Indian. — (Soft, but excellent.)^. 

2 cups coarse corn meal — " flint," if you have it. 
1J " (unbolted) rye meal. 
-J cup cracked wheat. 
2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
1 quart sour milk or buttermilk — or enough for a toler- 
ably soft batter. 
Time — four hours. 

Stir together the rye and corn meal, add the sugar and 
soda, and enough sour milk or buttermilk to form a batter 
soft enough to pour. Beat hard, turn into a pan well oiled, 
and steam four hours; then brown fifteen minutes in a 
moderate oven, and turn out on a dish for the table. 

If the milk is very sour, use a little more soda. The 
sugar may be omitted if desired, and a cup of raisins sub- 
stituted; and if rye meal can not be had, take rye flour 
instead. This bread is good served as a pudding, with 
mock cream or lemon sauce. 



264 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

Rye, Wheat and Indian. — (Excellent)^ 

1\ cups coarse corn meal — "flint" is best. 

1 cup rye flour. 

f ". cracked wheat. 

3 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

2 table spoonfuls sugar. 

1£ teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — four hours. 

Mix the several grains together, add the milk and sugar, 
and stir well, removing the lumps. Then add the dissolved 
soda, and beat very hard. Pour into a pan well oiled, cover, 
and steam four hours without lifting the lid. "When done, 
brown ten minutes in the oven, and send to the table. 

Some like this bread better with the sugar omitted. 

Rye, Wheat and Indian. — (Excellent.)^. 

2 cups coarse corn meal — " flint/' if you can get it. 
§ cup rye flour. 

1 " Graham flour. 
\ " cracked wheat. 

2 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 cup tepid water. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — four hours. 

Stir the grains together, add the sugar, and wet with the 
milk and water, forming a batter without lumps; then add 
the soda, and beat very thoroughly. Pour into a round 
pan, well oiled, and steam four hours without uncovering. 
Brown in the oven ten minutes. 

The sugar may be omitted if desired; or the same quan- 
tity of molasses or syrup may be used, provided you can 
get it pure. 



PART III.] CORN CAKE, MUFFINS, ETC. 265 

Rye, Wheat and Indian. — (Soft, but good.)^ 

1 cup rye flour — rye meal, if you can get it. 

1 " Graham flour. 
£ " cracked wheat. 

2 cups coarse corn meal — " flint," if you have it. 
2 " sour milk — or buttermilk. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar — or \ cup raisins, seeded and 

chopped. 
1^ teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Enough boiling water to scald the meal and wheat. 
Time — four hours. 

Mix and scald the corn meal and cracked wheat, making 
a batter as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, and let this 
stand over night. Set it in a moderately warm place — in 
winter, near the stove or fire ; in summer, on the kitchen 
table. In the morning add the Graham and rye flour (or 
meal), and the sour milk, or enough to form a batter 
that will pour. Stir well together, and set in a place not 
so warm as to sour it. Four hours before dinner add 
the sugar (or raisins), and the dissolved soda, and beat 
thoroughly. Pour into an oiled pan, cover, and set in the 
steamer. Keep the water at a fast boil four hours, and do 
not uncover the steamer till the bread is done ; then brown 
fifteen minutes in the oven before sending to the table. 

CORN CAKE, MUFFINS, Etc. 
Bachelor's Johnny Cake. — (Good.)3fe 

3 cups corn meal. 

1 cup Graham flour. 

3 cups new milk. 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time— 20 to 30 minutes. 



266 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Mix the meal, flour and milk over night, and set the 
batter where it will keep moderately warm but will not 
sour. In the morning add the sugar and the dissolved 
soda, and beat hard. Pour into two pans, well oiled, and 
bake for breakfast ; the cakes should not be more than an 
inch thick when done. It will require a hot oven, and 
twenty to thirty minutes. 

Corn Cake. — (Excellent)^. 

2 cups corn meal. 

1 cup flour, Graham or white. 

1J cups sweet milk. 

^ cup " cream. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 
Time— 20 to 30 minutes. 

Mix together the meal, flour, milk, cream and soda, and 
beat well. See that the oven is hot, then add the cream of 
tartar, and beat very thoroughly. Dip immediately into 
gem-pans, well oiled, or pour into two small bread-pans, 
and bake twenty minutes. The batter should be about as 
stiff as will drop from a spoon, but rather too soft to mould 
with the hands. If it is too thin, add a little meal ; if too 
thick, add more milk. The coarser the corn meal, the more 
milk will be required. 

If new milk is used for mixing, no cream will be needed. 

Kentucky Corn Cake.=(^ 

Take, say two cups of corn meal, and half scald by stir- 
ring into it a cup of boiling water ; then add cold water or 
cold sweet milk, to form a batter as stiff as can be stirred 
with a spoon ; beat very thoroughly. Spread it two-thirds 
of an inch thick on an oiled griddle, and bake ten to fifteen 
minutes, or till the bottom is well browned ; then remove 






PABT in.] CORN CAKE, MUFFINS, ETC. 267 

the griddle from the top of the stove, place it in a moderate 
oven, on the topmost grate, and let it bake from thirty to 
forty minutes ; longer, if mixed with water. If more con- 
venient, you may dispense with the griddle, pour the batter 
into a bread-pan, and bake in the oven forty to fifty minutes. 

Corn Custard. — (Excellent. ) 4£ 

1 pint (heaping) corn meal. 

2 tablespoonfuls white flour. 

1 quart sour milk — or buttermilk. 

3 eggs — yolks and whites separate. 

2 teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — 20 minutes. 

See that the oven is just right ; then stir together the 
meal, flour, milk, and beaten yolks. When these are well 
mixed add the dissolved soda, and the whites cut to a stiff 
froth, and beat hard. Pour into two pans, well oiled, and 
bake immediately. The bread should not be more than an 
inch in thickness when done ; it should bake in about 
twenty minutes. 

Graham Muffins. 

Into two cups of sweet milk, stir three cups of sifted 
Graham flour — or you may take half white — and beat very 
thoroughly. If the batter is too stiff to drop readily from 
the spoon, add a little more milk and stir again. Then dip 
into hot gem-pans, slightly oiled, and bake in a good oven 
thirty to forty minutes. 

Graham and Corn Muffins. — ( Excellent. J^fc 
2 full cups corn meal. 
1 cup Graham flour. 

1 " sweet milk 

2 cups boiling water. 
1 egg. 

Time — 20 minutes. 



268 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Pour the boiling water into the meal, and stir well ; let 
the mixture stand till lukewarm. Then add the cup of 
milk, or enough to form a batter about as stiff as will drop 
from the spoon, and beat well. Set this in a warm place 
two hours ; then break in the egg, and beat hard. Dip into 
hot gem-pans, well oiled, and bake twenty minutes in a brisk 
oven. 

Cream G-ems.^ 

1 cup sweet cream. 

% " " milk. 

2 \ cups Graham flour — or enough for gem-batter. 

Time — 30 to 40 minutes. 

Stir Graham flour, sifted or unsifted, into the cream and 
milk, until a batter is formed that will drop readily from 
the spoon. Beat very thoroughly, dip into hot gem-pans, 
previously oiled, and bake in a quick oven thirty to forty 
minutes. Instead of all Graham, half white flour (sifted) 
may be used. Eat warm, but not hot. 

This bread, though rather moist, is well liked by some 
persons ; and it certainly is more wholesome than the ordi- 
nary hot biscuit, made of white flour and lard. 

"Middlings," "shorts," or unbolted rye flour, may be 
mixed in the same way ; and instead of cream, all milk 
makes very good gems. 

Cream Gems. — (With Fruit. )# 

Mix as in the preceding recipe, using a little more milk, 
and then stir in one cup of currants or seedless raisins, 
well dredged with a portion of the flour ; the currants 
should be picked, washed and dried, before dredging. Bake 
in a brisk, but even oven, and be careful not to scorch in 
finishing. 



PAET III.] CORN CAKE, MUFFINS, ETC. 269 

Potato and Corn Muffins. — (Good.J^. 

1 cup cold mashed potato. 
1 " sweet milk. 
1 egg, well beaten. 

1 cup corn meal — or enough for gem-batter. 
Time — 20 to 30 minutes. 

Soften the potato with the milk, working out all the 
lumps ; then stir in corn meal till the batter is just thick 
enough to drop easily from the spoon ; add the whipped 
egg, and beat hard. Drop into hot gem-pans, oiled, and 
bake in an even oven twenty to thirty minutes. 

Potato Cake. 

2 cups mealy potato, mashed fine, 
i cup sweet cream. 

2 tablespoonfuls flour — Graham or white. 
Time — 20 minutes. 

Stir into the mashed potato the cream and flour, mixing 
thoroughly; beat lightly with a fork, and then make with 
the hand into little flat cakes, half an inch thick. Bake to 
a good brown, and send to the table as soon as done. 
The flour can be omitted, if desired. 

Another. — Take cold mashed potato, crush till there are 
no lumps, and stir in a beaten egg; mould into thin flat 
cakes, pass the rolling-pin lightly over them to make them 
smooth, and then either bake in the oven, or brown on a 
griddle, slightly oiled. 

Rice and Corn Bread. — ( Excellent. )^z 

1^ cups cold boiled rice. 
2 " sour milk. 
1 egg, well beaten. 



270 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

3 cups coarse corn meal — or enough to make a toler- 
ably soft gem-batter. 
Time — 30 minutes. 

Soften the rice with the milk, and mash all the lumps; 
add the beaten egg, and enough of the corn meal to form 
a thin batter. Stir well; then add more meal — enough to 
make a batter just stiff enough to mould with the hands; 
add also the dissolved soda, and beat hard. Form into 
small oval cakes, say three inches long and an inch and a 
half in thickness, and bake in a hot oven, thirty minutes. 

Mush Muffins. 

Into a quart of boiling water, stir enough corn meal to 
make an ordinary mush; let it cook ten minutes. When 
cooled to lukewarm beat in two eggs (some use but one), 
and then thin the mush by stirring in a little milk or cream, 
so that it will drop readily from the spoon. Bake in oiled 
gem-pans, about thirty minutes. 

Eye Drop-Cakes. 

2 cups sour milk. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 pint rye meal — or enough for gem-batter. 

Stir into the milk enough rye meal to form a batter that 
will drop from the spoon; then add the egg and soda, and 
beat well. Bake on a hot griddle, or in gem-pans well 
oiled; if in gem-pans, the oven must have an even heat, 
and the cakes should bake half an hour. 

"Connell," or "middlings," mixed in the same way, 
makes good cakes; and they are far more wholesome and 
nutritious than the ordinary lard biscuit, or bakers' bread, 
used by rich and poor. 



PART HI.] GEIDDLE-CAKES. 271 

A mixture of half Graham and half rye (meal or flour), 
wet with sweet milk to the consistency of gem-batter, and 
baked, makes very good cakes. 

GKIDDLE-CAKES. 

Griddle-cakes are not expected to form any considerable 
part of the hygienic dietary. If indulged in at all, it should 
only be occasionally, and then without the ordinary accom- 
paniments of butter and molasses, or syrup. If they can 
not be relished without condiments, or with the addition of 
plain fruits, stewed or canned, then they had better be dis- 
pensed with, altogether. Eaten in this simple manner, as 
an occasional breakfast dish on a cold morning, and with a 
good keen appetite to aid the digestion, they may now and 
then make their appearance without causing a bad head- 
ache, or a dull pain in the stomach. 

The best of all the grains for batter cakes, is buckwheat. 
To be first-class, it must be free from grit, or other impur- 
ity or adulteration. Most of the buckwheat flour in our 
markets is largely mixed with poor white flour, " shorts," 
etc., and nearly all of it is too finely ground. Cakes made 
of good buckwheat flour should brown nicely, and they 
should be light and sweet. The following is a plain but 
good recipe for making them. 

Buckwheat Cakes. =$= 

H pints (nearly) buckwheat flour. 
1 quart warm water. 
h cup good hop yeast. 

1 tablespoonful Graham flour, or fine corn meal— 

or you may take " connell." 

Have the water no warmer than blood heat; pour half or 

two-thirds of it into a large earthen pitcher, and stir the 

flour in, a handful at a time; beat till there are no lumps. 



272 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART in. 

Then add the rest of the water, the yeast, the Graham flour 
or corn meal — or "connell," if you use it — and beat very 
thoroughly. Mix at night (in cold weather), and set the bat- 
ter in a moderately warm place till morning; it should then 
be light, but not sour. It will be rather foamy on top, and 
will require a very little light stirring; if too stiff, stir in a 
few spoonfuls of tepid water. 

The buckwheat flour of thirty or forty years ago, was 
ground coarser (and it was very much better) than the ar- 
ticle now sold under that name; it felt like buckwheat, and 
it tasted like it; it was also free from adulteration. The 
batter made from it had both a lightness and a " body," 
that is not now to be found; and the cakes, which were 
usually the full size of the griddle, were marvels of excel- 
lence. The modern buckwheat flour makes a batter that is 
too fragile to manage in the same way; hence the rule, to 
bake three cakes on a griddle of ordinary size, as they are 
more easily turned without breaking. 

The batter should be quite thin ; thin enough to spread 
readily as it is poured on the griddle. Then have a good 
even fire, the griddle clean and hot, and oiled just enough 
to keep the cakes from sticking ; a convenient arrangement 
for this latter purpose, is a stick with a rag wrapped around 
and tied on the end of it, and well saturated with olive oil or 
good sweet dripping ; change frequently, or keep scrupu- 
lously clean. Pour on just enough batter to make three 
thin cakes (you can hardly get them too thin), and the mo- 
ment they are ready to turn, pop them over ; if you let 
them dry out before turning, they will be spoiled. Regu- 
late the heat of the griddle so that the cakes will brown 
evenly, but not scorch ; this direction applies to all griddle- 
cakes. Nothing is worse than a raw or burnt batter-cake. 

Leave a little of the batter in the bottom of the crock, for 
a sponge the next evening ; it will be better than to use 
fresh yeast every time. You may do this for a week or 



PART III.] GRIDDLE-CAKES. 273 

two, or as long as the batter rises well, and is sweet ; if you 
find it soui* any morning, the only remedy is to stir in a 
pinch of soda dissolved in boiling water, and try a little on 
the griddle ; if more soda is needed, add it cautiously. 
Once the batter has soured, you must make new the next 
time. 

A mixture half "middlings" and half buckwheat, makes 
very good cakes. 

Wheaten Griddle-Cakes. 

2 cups sifted " middlings " or " connell." 
2£ " warm water. 
2 tablespoonfuls yeast. 
1 table spoonful corn meal. 

Mix at night the same as for buckwheat cakes, and bake 
in the morning on a hot griddle, for breakfast. See that 
the "middlings" are fresh and clean. 

Wheaten Griddle-Cakes. — (Good.)^. 

2 cups sifted " middlings " or " connell." 
2^ " sour milk or cream. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Make a batter of the milk, eggs and flour, add the dis- 
solved soda, and beat well ; then bake immediately on a 
hot griddle. The cakes should be light and tender, and 
nicely browned without scorching ; they are excellent. 
Graham flour may be used instead of " middlings," but it is 
not as good. 

Crumb Griddle-Cakes. — (Excellent. ) 4f= 

2 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 
2 " stale bread-crumbs. 
\ cup sifted Graham flour. 



274 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Soak the crumbs in the milk till soft ; then work till 
smooth, and add enough flour to bind the mixture together. 
Stir in the beaten egg and dissolved soda, beat very hard, 
and bake to a good brown ; the griddle should be well 
oiled. 

If preferred, use part sour cream, and leave out the egg. 

Green Corn Griddle-Cakes. 4£ 

1 pint grated green corn. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

2 tablespoonfuls sweet milk or cream. 

2 " flour — or enough to thicken a little. 

Mix together the corn, yolks and milk, and add the flour, 
Graham or white — just enough to bind all together ; better 
test a little on the griddle before baking, as too much flour 
spoils the cakes. Whip and stir in the whites, beating 
thoroughly ; then bake on a hot griddle, well oiled. Have 
a good even fire, and bake in small cakes, easily turned. 

Corn Griddle-Cakes. — (Excellent )$: 

2 cups coarse corn meal. 

2 " sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 egg- 

1 tablespoonful Graham flour. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Make a batter of the meal, milk, egg and flour ; if it is 
too thick, add a little milk. Then stir in the dissolved soda, 
beat well, and bake immediately on a hot griddle ; do not 
scorch the cakes. 



PART in.] CAKE-MAKING. 275 

Corn Bread Griddle-Cakes. 

1 quart com bread-crumbs. 

1 pint sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 " cold water. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 cup flour — or enough to form a thin batter. 

Soak the crumbs in the water over night; in the morning 
mash fine, add the milk and beaten egg, and mix well. 
Then stir in enough flour, Graham or white, to bind the mixt- 
ure together ; add the dissolved soda, and beat hard. Bake 
immediately on a hot griddle, without scorching. 

Rice Griddle-Cakes. — (Good.)^ 

1 cup cold boiled rice. 

1 " sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

■| teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Moisten the rice with the milk, and mix them well to- 
gether ; if there are lumps remaining, mash fine with a 
spoon — or a fork, which is better. Stir in the Graham 
flour and beaten egg, forming a thin fritter batter ; then 
the dissolved soda, and beat well. Bake in small thin cakes 
to a good brown ; the griddle must be clean, and well 
oiled. 

Cold samp (fine hominy) mixed in the same way, is ex- 
cellent. 

CAKE-MAKING. 

As might be anticipated, the varieties of cake in a hy- 
gienic cook-book are rather limited ; but no matter how 
few in number, or how plain in the making, the general 

directions for mixing and baking are essentially the same 
19 



276 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

as for richer ones. First of all, let there be good materials ; 
the best of flour (sifted), fresh eggs, and good sweet cream. 
If fruit is used let it be prepared beforehand ; currants 
should be looked over carefully, washed till they are free 
from all sediment, and then thoroughly dried in an oven 
that is not more than blood heat ; they must be well 
dredged with flour before using, and then stirred into the 
cake-batter the last thing before it is baked. Eaisins, if 
clean, may be spared the washing and drying ; simply pick 
from the stems, seed and chop them, and dredge well with 
flour. Keep the eggs in a cool place (or drop into cold 
water) till they are wanted ; and if practicable, beat them 
in a cool room. If more than one egg is needed, separate 
the yolks and whites as carefully as possible ; then beat the 
yolks with the sugar, and the whites by themselves ; the 
latter must be cut to a froth stiff enough to adhere to the 
plate, turned upside down. Use an earthen or stoneware 
basin, both for beating the eggs and mixing the cake. 

Before you begin with the batter, have all the ingredients 
at hand, and in order ; the cream of tartar sifted through 
the flour, the soda dissolved, the sugar (if not the granulated) 
rolled fine, and the cake-pan clean and well oiled ; do not 
heat before oiling, as it makes the cake stick ; have the pan 
cold or lukewarm — never hot. Look to the oven, and see 
that the fire is just right ; you will need a steady, even 
heat, one that you can depend upon till the cake is done. 
Some cooks prefer to use the soda without dissolving it ; in 
this case you must mash with a knife till it is perfectly 
smooth, and then sift it and the cream of tartar well through 
the flour, or a part of it. An objection to this method is, 
that careless cooks do not always pulverize the soda thor- 
oughly before sifting. The safest way, certainly, is to dis- 
solve it in boiling water. If instead of soda and cream of 
tartar, baking-powder is used, mix well with a spoonful or 
two of the flour, and stir it (with thorough beating) into 



PART IH.] CAKE-MAKING. 277 

plain cake, the last thing- before baking ; into fruit cake, the 
last thing before adding the fruit. Buy the kind of baking- 
powder that is least adulterated, if you know which that is. 
The " Price " is said by chemists to be nearly or quite free 
from foreign ingredients — aside from starch, which, to say 
the least, is not poisonous. 

In hygienic cake — if any cake can be so designated — mix 
as follows : Beat the yolks and sugar together, add a little 
of the cream, and stir in flour to thicken ; then more cream, 
then more flour. When all is used, stir in the whipped 
whites and beat well ; then the dissolved soda, and beat 
very thoroughly, till the batter is light and smooth ; then 
pour it into the cake-pan, and bake immediately. Never let 
the batter stand after it is mixed ; and never move the cake 
while it is baking, if it can be avoided ; test toward the last 
with a broom-straw, to see if the dough adheres to it ; when 
done, the straw should come out clean from the thickest 
portion. 

In making cake, and in cooling after it is baked, tho 
Buckeye Cookery says : "Do not stir, but beat thoroughly, 
bringing the batter up from the bottom of the dish at every 
stroke ; in this way the ah' is driven into the cells of the 
batter, instead of out of them ; but the cells will be finer if 
beaten more slowly at the last, remembering that the motion 
should always be upward." "The oven should be rather 
hot for small cakes, and moderate for larger ones. Most 
kinds of loaf cake may be taken from the tins in about 
fifteen minutes after they come from the oven ; but they 
should not be turned over on the top to cool." A good way 
is to turn a common wire sieve upside down, and when the 
cake is taken out of the pan, place it light side up on tho 
sieve till it is thoroughly cold. If not to be eaten till tho 
next day, wrap it in a clean thick towel or napkin, put it 
into a tin box or stone jar, and cover closely. 



278 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

Graham Cream Cake. 

1 cup thick sweet cream. 
2i cups sifted Graham flour, 
f cup sugar. 

1 egg. 

-J- teaspoonf ul soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 " cream- tar tar, good measure. 

Before mixing, see that the oven is in order ; it must 
have a good steady heat, but very moderate. Place the above 
ingredients all on the table, together with the cake-pan ; 
oil the latter well, having it cold or barely warm. Now sift 
the cream of tartar through the flour very thoroughly, and 
beat the egg and sugar together — or if more than one cake 
is wanted, double the above proportions, and carefully sepa- 
rate the yolks and whites. Beat the yolks with the sugar, 
reserving the whites to be whipped by themselves ; let the 
beating be done by an assistant, if there is one at hand. 
Add to the yolks and sugar a part of the cream, and stir in 
enough of the flour to thicken ; then more cream, then 
more flour ; if the latter is coarsely ground, a little less will 
be needed ; the batter must not be very stiff. When this is 
mixed stir in the well-whipped whites and the dissolved 
soda, and beat thoroughly ; then pour into the cake-pan (or 
pans), and place immediately in the oven. Bake rather 
slowly at first, allowing the cake to rise to its full height 
before the top is hardened ; and if possible do not move it 
till done. Finish with an even brown, top and bottom, but 
not the slightest approach to scorching ; if the top browns 
a little too fast, cover with a paper ; if the bottom is in 
danger, lift carefully, and slide a bread-pan, bottom upward, 
under it. 

When nearly done, pass a broom-straw through the 
thickest portion ; if it comes out clean add three minutes 
to the baking, and remove from the oven. Should the cake 



PART UI.] CAKE-MAKING. 279 

adhere to the pan, leave it in five to ten minutes ; then turn 
it carefully out, and set right side up on an inverted sieve 
to cool. If not wanted for the table, wrap when fully cold 
in a clean coarse towel, or in two or three folds of old 
table-linen ; then put it into a tin bread-box or stone jar, 
cover closely, and set it in a cool place. 

This cake well made, is light, soft and tender ; it usually 
bakes in from forty to fifty minutes. Sour cream may be 
used in mixing, and the cream of tartar omitted ; but good 
sweet cream is preferable, if you have it. 

Graham Fruit Cake.^ 

1 cup thick sweet cream. 

2 cups sifted Graham flour 

J cup currants, picked, washed, and thoroughly dried. 

■| " raisins, seeded and chopped. 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 

1 egg. 

\ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 " cream-tartar, good measure. 

The ingredients being all on the table, and the cake-pan 
well oiled, look to the oven a moment. Then dredge the 
fruit with a portion of the flour, already sifted and meas- 
ured ; beat the egg and sugar together, add the cream, and 
stir in the flour with the cream of tartar well sifted through 
it, forming rather a thin batter ; then add the dissolved 
soda, and beat well. Lastly, put in the raisins and currants, 
and stir them lightly but evenly through the mass. Bake 
as in the preceding recipe, allowing a little more time on 
account of the fruit. Test with the straw, and after it 
comes out clean bake five minutes. When taken from the 
oven, if the cake sticks to the pan leave it in five to ten 
minutes ; then remove, cool, and wrap, and put away as 
before — or it may be sent to the table as soon as cold. 



280 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

If two cakes are wanted, double the above quantities, 
beat the yolks and sugar together, and the whites separately; 
these, cut to a stiff froth, should be whipped into the bat- 
ter just before adding the dissolved soda. This simple cake 
is more wholesome and palatable, than many that are 
"rich" (indigestible) with butter, eggs, sugar, molasses, 
spices, wines, etc. It is best eaten with tart, juicy fruit, as 
strawberries, or stewed cherries; it is very good with grape 
juice. If wanted "for company," remove from the oven 
the moment the straw comes out clean, place on a platter, 
and moisten the top of the cake with the white of egg 
beaten to a froth; then sift over a little white sugar, and 
return it to the oven three to five minutes. You can beat 
a little lemon juice with the egg, if you like. When the 
cake is set on the table, you may garnish it with clusters of 
cherries with their leaves; or with bunches of ripe currants 
or other fruit, natural or " frosted." 

Graham Beead Cake. 

2 cups light yeast dough. 

1 cup seedless raisins — or currants. 
^ " sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

3 tablespoonfuls thick sweet cream. 

The dough should be rather soft, and light enough for 
baking; it may be all or part Graham. Dredge the sweet 
fruit well with flour; and if currants are used, pick, wash 
and dry them before dredging. Beat the yolks and sugar 
together, add the cream, and with a strong spoon stir ail 
into the dough; when well mixed, add the whites cut to a 
stiff froth, and beat very thoroughly. Then stir in the fruit 
lightly, pour into a shallow pan, well oiled, and set in a 
warm place to rise. When light, place in the oven, and 
bake from forty to fifty minutes, or until done. 



part iii.] cake-making. 281 

Apple Cake.4(= 

Make the same as Graham cream cake, using only half 
a cup of sugar to the other measurements, and bake m two 
cakes, each an inch in thickness. In the mean time, stew 
some apples in as little water as will cook them; and when 
the cakes are done and cooled a little, spread the hot apple 
between. Serve when nearly cold, with cream, or fruit 
juice. 

Strawberries, or ripe peaches thinly sliced, may be used 
instead of stewed apples; the berries should be very ripe, 
and chopped a little before spreading. 

Huckleberry Cake. 

1 cup sour cream. 

2 cups sifted Graham flour. 

1 cup sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1J teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
1J pints huckleberries, fresh and ripe. 

Dredge the berries with a portion of the flour; then beat 
the yolks and sugar together, add the sour cream and stir 
in the flour, forming a smooth batter. Whip in the whites 
cut to a stiff froth, add the dissolved soda, and beat thor- 
oughly. Lastly, stir the berries in carefully, breaking them 
as little as possible; pour into an oiled cake-pan, not too 
deep, and bake in a very moderate oven till a broom-straw 
comes out clean; then add five minutes to the baking, and 
remove from the oven. In ten minutes more take the cake 
out of the pan, and set it right side up on a sieve to cool. 

If preferred, use sweet cream, and less soda by half a 
teaspoonful. 



,282 health in the household. [part iii. 

Graham Sponge Cake. 4^ 

1 cup (scant) sifted Graham flour. 

J " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

i teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

\ " cream-tartar. 

Juice of one small lemon. 

Sift the cream of tartar through the flour, at least twice. 
In warm weather, the eggs, which must be fresh, should be 
cooled by dropping them into ice-water. Beat the yolks, 
lemon juice, and sugar together, and stir in the flour; then 
add the soda and whipped whites, beating moderately; pour 
the batter into a cake-pan, and bake in a good oven. The 
pan, usually of oblong shape and with perpendicular sides, 
should be lined with white paper, well oiled. Test with a 
broom-straw, after twenty minutes' baking. 

In making sponge cake mix as quickly as possible, beat 
lightly and not too long, and bake as soon as mixed. 

Graham Sponge Cake. 4^ 

1^ cups sifted Graham flour. 

1 cup sugar. 

\ " cold water. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 
Juice of half a lemon. 

Beat the yolks, lemon and sugar together, add the 
water, and stir in the flour through which the cream of tar- 
tar has been well sifted. Then add the dissolved soda and 
beat lightly. Last of all stir in the well-whipped whites, 
pour the batter into a shallow pan, lined with white paper 
well oiled, and bake immediately. Have rather a quick 



PART ni.] CAKE-MAKING. 283 

oven, and test with a straw as in the last recipe; the cake 
should be hardly an inch in thickness, when done. 

Layer Cake. 

1 cup sweet cream. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 
| " " white flour. 

f " sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

£ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 " cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 

Beat the yolks and sugar together, add the cream, and 
stir in the flour ; mix till smooth, add the whites whipped 
to a stiff froth, and the dissolved soda, and beat well. 
Then dip into tins well oiled, and bake in rather a quick 
oven ; the batter should be about thick enough for griddle- 
cakes; it will make five or six layers. When these are nearly 
cold, spread with tart jelly, or with fruit juice evaporated 
to the consistency of a jelly. 

Or, prepare a "fining," as follows: Beat together one egg 
(or whites of two), half a cup of sugar, and the juice of 
half a lemon. Then grate two tart apples, stir these into 
the egg, lemon and sugar, and heat in a farina-kettle till all 
are smoking hot. Bemove from the fire, cool, and spread 
between the cakes. 

Layer Cake. 

Make a batter like the preceding, only stiffer; do this by 
adding to the above measurement, half a cup of sifted flour, 
Graham or white ; and when the batter is mixed, bake 
quickly, in thin layers. Then make a soft custard, as fol- 
lows : Heat half a pint of new milk just to a boil, and 
thicken it with one tablespoonful of corn-starch wet with a 
little cream or milk; beat together one egg and one-third of 



284 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

a cup of sugar, add the hot mixture to it, stirring in a little 
at a time, and return to the fire. Stir constantly till the 
custard thickens; then set it off. When nearly cold spread 
it on the layers, place them on top of each other in a plate, 
and. set away in a tin bread-box, or inside a stone jar 
closely covered. Serve with canned cherries, or other tart 
fruit. 

Another way is to make a batter as for Graham sponge 
cake (either recipe, doubling the quantities), bake in thin 
layers, and then prepare the custard as before. 

Graham Rusk.4(= 

1 pint new milk. 

i cup sugar, rolled fine. 

J " good hop yeast. 

3 eggs, beaten with the sugar. 

Flour for sponge and dough. 

Bring the milk to a boil, and cool to blood heat ; then 
thicken with white flour, adding the yeast ; the batter 
should be thin enough to pour from the spoon. Set this 
sponge to rise over night. In the morning put into the mix- 
ing-bowl three cups of sifted Graham, and three and a half 
cups of white flour, also sifted ; stir these together. Make 
a well in the middle, pour in the sponge, and add the eggs 
and sugar ; then mix to the consistency of ordinary bread 
or a little softer, and knead very thoroughly. Set in a warm 
place till light ; when ready knead again, and mould into 
biscuits the size of an egg. Let these rise, then brush the 
tops with the white of egg beaten with a little sugar, and 
bake twenty to thirty minutes. 

Graham Rusk. 

1 cup new milk. 
| " sugar. 



PAKT III.] CAKE-MAKING. 285 

^ cup good hop yeast. 

2 eggs. 

Flour for sponge and dougii. 

Scald the milk, and cool to blood heat ; beat the eggs and 
sugar together, add the yeast and milk, and thicken with 
white flour, forming a batter not very stiff. Set this in a 
warm place to rise ; it will require from three to four hours, 
according to temperature and strength of yeast. When 
light, mix with equal parts sifted Graham and white flour, 
until a tolerably stiff dough is formed ; knead well, and 
leave in a warm place till risen. Then work into small 
cakes, let these rise, and bake in a moderate oven twenty to 
thirty minutes. 

A good rusk is made as follows : Take two cups of raised 
dough, and work into it two eggs and half a cup of sugar, 
beaten together ; add enough flour, Graham or white, to 
make the dough stiff enough to mould. Then knead well, 
set to rise, and as soon as light mould into cakes ; when 
risen sufficiently, bake. 

Mush Rusk. 

1 pint hot corn meal mush. 

1 " new milk, scalding hot. 
-J cup sugar. 

J " good hop yeast. 

2 eggs. 

Flour for mixing. 
Time— 20 to 30 minutes. 

Sift into the bread-bowl about a quart each, of Graham 
and white flour ; make a well in the center, add the hot 
mush, and stir in the scalding milk. Let this mixture cool 
to blood heat ; then add the yeast, and the sugar and eggs 
beaten together, and work in sufficient flour to make a 
dough that will mould. Knead thoroughly, and let it rise 



286 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

over night; then knead again, and make into small biscuits; 
when these have risen, bake in an even oven twenty to 
thirty minutes. 

Oat Meal Snaps.^ 
1 cup sweet cream. 
3 tablespoonfuls crushed sugar. 
Fine oat meal, to form a dough that will roll. 

Stir the cream and sugar together, till the latter is well 
dissolved ; then mix with a spoon, adding meal to form a 
dough stiff enough to mould. Knead slightly with the 
hand, roll to the thickness of an eighth of an inch, and cut 
into small round cakes. Then place in a moderate oven, 
and bake to a light brown ; they should be crisp and 
tender when done. 

Fruit Cracker. — ( Graham.)^. 

| cup sweet cream. 

1 " currants, picked, washed and dried. 

\ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

\ " cream-tartar. 

Flour to make a very stiff dough. 

Put into the tray one heaping cup of sifted Graham, and 
the same of white flour ; mix well together. Sift the cream 
of tartar through it two or three times ; then wet with the 
cream, into which the dissolved soda has been stirred, form- 
ing a very stiff dough ; quite too stiff to adhere to the 
moulding-board. Knead as little as possible, and roll out a 
very thin sheet, less than an eighth of an inch in thickness. 
Spread this with a good layer of the fruit, enough to cover 
the dough ; the currants must be thoroughly dried after 
washing. When the fruit is spread, roll another thin sheet 
and lay it on ; press well together, and pass the rolling-pin 
lightly over the whole, to make an even surface. Then cut 



PAKT III.] CAKE-MAKING. 287 

into small cakes, round or square, prick deeply with a fork, 
and bake in a moderate oven till thoroughly done and hard. 

Fruit Cracker. 

Substitute "middlings " or " connell " for the Graham and 
white flour, and make like the preceding. Or the Lockport 
flour may be used, instead of middlings. 

Sally Lunn. 

1 pint sweet cream. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

\ cup yeast. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

3£ cups " white " — or enough for a strir 
batter. 

Warm the cream to blood heat ; then beat and add the 
yolks, and stir in the yeast ; and if the weather is cold have 
the flour slightly warmed. Thicken with the latter, stirring 
in first the Graham flour and then the white ; the batter 
should be pretty stiff. Then stir in the whites whipped to 
a good froth, and beat thoroughly ; pour the batter into a 
pan, well oiled, and set it to rise. "When light enough, bake 
from forty to fifty minutes, or until a broom-straw thrust 
into the thickest portion, comes out clean ; you will need a 
pretty hot oven. The cake should not be more than an inch 
and a half in thickness, when done. Serve warm (not hot) 
from the bake-pan. 

Sally Lunn. 

2 cups sour cream — or enough for thick batter. 
2 " (scant) sifted Graham flour. 

2 " sifted white flour. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 



288 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III, 

Make a batter of the cream, eggs and flour, add the dis- 
solved soda, and beat well ; then pour it into a small pan, well 
oiled, and bake in a moderate oven till done ; test with a 
broom-straw, the same as ordinary cake. Serve fifteen 
minutes after it comes from the oven. 



PIES, Etc. 

Cream Paste. =j^ 

Take equal parts of Graham and white flour, sifted, and 
stir the two together ; then wet with cold sweet cream ; the 
colder the cream and flour, the crisper the paste. Mix as 
lightly and quickly as possible, forming a stiff dough ; do 
not knead, but gather up the fragments of paste, and begiu 
to roll out immediately ; or set it in the ice-chest til/ 
wanted. 

This recipe is so often called for, that it is given here ac 
well as in Part IL, to which the reader is referred for 
details. 

Pie-Crust Glaze. 

In making pumpkin or custard pies, or any that are very 
juicy, as cherry or currant, the crust is apt to become satu- 
rated with the soft mixture, unless they are eaten as soon 
as done. To prevent this, a good plan is said to be to roll 
out the crust and wet it with the beaten white of an egg, 
before adding the filling ; the egg hardens in baking, and 
prevents the moisture from soaking into the crust. 

A better way for fruit pies requiring sugar, particularly 
if they are juicy, is to line the pie-pans, and sprinkle first 
with a little flour, and then with the sugar, brushing the 
two together with the hand; during the baking the flour 
and melted sugar adhere together, and keep the juice from 
coming in contact with the paste. 



part iii.] pies, etc. 289 

Fruit Pies. 4^ 

Nearly all fruits, as apples, peaches, plums, cherries, and 
all the small fruits, make excellent pies. Having mixed a 
firm cream paste, roll it thin, and line the pie-pans; then 
put in the fruit, and for apples, peaches, raspberries, etc., 
that are not very juicy, add a little water. Sweeten to taste, 
if the fruit is tart enough to require sugar; lay on the top 
crust, secure the edges, and bake in a quick oven twenty to 
thirty minutes. When done, the upper and under crusts 
should be thoroughly baked, and moderately browned; too 
often the top is burnt or blistered, and the bottom scorched 
or doughy. 

Family pies, or " cobblers," are made in deep dishes, or 
bread-pans, having the crust twice the usual thickness, and 
the fruit an inch and a half to two inches in depth'. If 
baked without an under crust, use granitized iron ware, as 
a common iron pan will blacken the fruit. These pies re- 
quire longer to bake, on account of their size; apple cob- 
blers made with a top crust only, will be done in about 
forty minutes; with a top and bottom one, an hour to an 
hour and a quarter is needed. Peach cobblers made of 
clingstones, the fruit not overripe, take nearly twice as long. 
The small fruits require less time for baking than the 
others; as soon as the crusts are done, the pies can be taken 
out. For particulars in making fruit pies, see Part II., 
Pastries. 

Peach Meringue Pie. 

Peel peaches of fine rich flavor, remove the stones, and 
stew moderately in a very little water; then mash fine, 
adding sugar if desired. Fill a pie-pan lined with ordinary 
cream paste, and bake from twenty to thirty minutes, or 
till the crust is well done. Then beat together the whites 
of two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and the juice of 



290 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HL 

half a lemon; spread this over the pie, return it to the 
oven, and brown slightly. Serve cold. 

Tart sliced apples, stewed in a little water till soft, are 
made into pies in the same way; and good dried apples or 
peaches, stewed till tender and mashed fine, may also be 
used. 

Custard Pie. 

1 quart sweet milk. 
\ cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

2 tablespoonfuls white flour. 

In point of healthfulness, custard pies are infinitely in- 
ferior to fruit pies; the eggs, milk and sugar (without 
which a custard can not be made), are all of them heavy 
and clogging to the liver; and none the less so, from the 
fact that they are baked together. 

Many persons object to the " eggy " taste in custard pies, 
and prefer if they eat them to use less eggs, thicken with a 
little flour or corn-starch, and then bake in a moderate oven. 
Others dislike siveet custards, and think them not only more 
wholesome but more delicate, when very little sugar is used. 
If you have the watered milk of the cities, you can hardly 
make a custard. First of all, then, take good milk; heat it 
to boiling, and add the flour wet to a smooth paste with a 
little cold milk; stir till the mixture comes again to a boil. 
Then remove from the fire; when nearly cold beat the 
yolks, whip in the sugar, and stir them in; also the whites 
cut to a good froth. Line the pie-pans with a very stiff 
cream paste, pour in the custard, and bake in an oven that 
heats well at the bottom; take out the pies the moment 
they are firm in the center, and be sure the crust is done. 

If flavoring is wanted, beat together the whites of two 
eggs, a tablespoonful of sugar, and the juice of half a 



PAET III.] PIES, ETC. 291 

lemon; spread this over the top, and brown slightly. Serve 
soon after the pies are baked. 

To prevent the custard from soaking into the crust, a 
good plan is said to be to moisten the latter with the 
beaten white of an egg, before filling. All custard pies 
should be removed from the pans and put on plates, as 
soon as they come from the oven; this allows the moisture 
to escape from the bottom, and prevents the crust from 
getting wet and heavy. 

Apple Custard Pie. 

3 cups sweet milk. 

3 " apple, grated or stewed. 

3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 tablespoonful white flour. 

Prepare the apples by stewing in as little water as will 
cook them; then mash fine and smooth; they must not be 
very tart. Beat the yolks and sugar together, and whip 
them into the apple; then stir in the flour, and add the 
milk. Stir in also the whites, well beaten, and pour the cus- 
tard into pie-pans lined with a good cream paste; the latter 
should be mixed quite stiff, and made of equal parts Gra- 
ham and white flour, sifted. Bake in a moderate oven till 
the custard is set, but no longer; see that there is sufficient 
heat at the bottom to brown the crust. 

Dried apples, stewed in a little water till they are tender, 
and then mashed fine, may be used in this pie. 

Rice Custard Pie. — (Excellent.)^ 

3 cups sweet milk. 

2 " boiled rice. 

3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs, volks and whites separate. 
20 



292 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

The rice should be boiled in water till thoroughly soft, 
but not broken. Cold rice left over will do, but it is not so 
good; if this is used put it into the milk, warm to blood 
heat, and mix thoroughly, crushing the lumps with a fork. 
Beat the yolks and sugar together, stir them into the milk 
and rice, and mix well; then stir in the well- whipped 
whites. Line the pie-pans with a firm cream paste, set 
them in the oven, and fill with the rice custard. Bake with 
a slow even heat till it is barely set, and serve as soon as 
cooled to lukewarm; see that the crust is well done. This 
is a plain but very delicate pie, and easily made; the above 
mixture will make three pies of ordinary size. 

Cocoa-Nut Custard Pie. 

1 quart new milk. 

^ cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 cocoa-nut, pared and grated. 

1 tablespoonful corn-starch. 

The fiber of the cocoa-nut is apt to give trouble to weak 
stomachs; for this reason, it is best to dispense with all but 
its juices. Stir the grated nut into the milk, pour the latter 
into a farina-kettle, and bring it nearly to a boil, stirring 
once or twice; then mix in the corn-starch wet in a little 
cold milk, and cook one minute; remove from the fire, and 
when cool enough strain through a coarse cloth or fine 
colander. Beat the yolks, then the sugar with them, and 
stir them into the strained milk; add also the cocoa-nut 
milk if it is perfectly sweet, and the whites whipped to a 
good froth; stir well together, and bake in two pie-pans 
lined with a very stiff cream paste. Have a moderate oven, 
and bake only till the custard is set; then slip from the 
pans to plates, as soon as the pies come from the oven. 
Serve cold, the day they are baked. 



part ni.] PIES, ETC. 293 

Corn-Starch Custard Pie. 

1 quart sweet milk, 
f cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
3 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 
Juice of one lemon. 

Heat the milk to a boil, stir in the corn-starch dissolved 
in a little cold milk, and cook one minute, stirring constantly. 
Kemove from the fire, and while it is cooling prepare a stiff 
cream paste, half Graham (sifted), and line the pie-pans 
with it. Set these in the oven to heat through; beat the 
yolks and one of the whites together, whip in half a cup of 
the sugar, and stir them into the milk. Then fill the pans 
with the custard, and bake in an even oven till it is just set; 
beat the remainder of the whites, the lemon, and the rest of 
the sugar together, and spread over the tops; close the 
oven, and heat till the meringue tinges. Take the pies out, 
slip them on plates, and set in a cool place; serve cold or 
nearly so, soon after baking. 

Lemon Pie.^ 

2 cups sweet milk, 
f cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
2 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 
Juice of two lemons. 

Heat the milk almost to boiling, and stir in the corn- 
starch wet with a little cold milk; let the mixture boil five 
minutes, stirring constantly. Then remove from the fire to 
cool; beat the yolks, lemon and sugar together, and when 
the milk is nearly cold stir them into it ; then the whites, 
beaten to a stiff froth. Fill the pie-pans, lined with a firm 
cream paste (equal parts Graham and white flour, sifted), 



294 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

and bake in a moderate oven till the custard is barely set ; 
the crust must be well done. Serve cold the same day; the 
above will make one large or two small pies. 

Lemon Pie. — ( With Meringue.)^: 

2 cups boiling water. 
| cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
2 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 
Juice of two lemons. 

"Wet the corn-starch with a little cold water, and pour the 
boiling water over it, stirring well meanwhile ; let this get 
nearly cold. Then beat the yolks, first by themselves, then 
with the lemon and two-thirds of the sugar, add the corn- 
starch water, and stir thoroughly. Then dip the mixture 
into two pie-pans lined with a stiff cream paste, and bake in 
an oven not too hot ; brown well at the bottom, and take out 
the moment the pies are done. Beat the whites to a stiff 
froth with the rest of the sugar, and spread over the tops ; 
return to the oven, close the door, and brown slightly. 
Serve cold, soon after baking. 

Irish Potato Pee. 4^ 

1 quart sweet milk — or part cream. 

!£■ cups mashed potato, dry and mealy. 

\ cup (nearly) sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of one lemon. 
Mix the potato well with the milk, and put through a 
colander to remove lumps. Then beat the yolks, lemon and 
sugar together, and stir them in ; add the whites cut to a 
stiff froth, and stir well. Line three pie-pans with a good 
cream paste mixed stiff, fill with the batter, and bake in an 
even oven till the pies are done ; see that the crust is well 
browned. Serve cold the same day. 



pakt iii.] pies, etc. 295 

Irish Potato Pie. 

3 cups new milk. 

1 cup (heaping) mashed potato, dry and mealy. 

J " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of one lemon. 
Mix the milk and potato thoroughly, and rub through a 
colander ; then beat together the yolks, one of the whites, 
half the sugar and half the lemon ; stir these into the milk 
and potato, and bake in two pans, lined with a stiff cream 
paste ; the oven must be moderate. As soon as done cover 
with a meringue made by beating together the two whites, 
and the rest of the lemon and sugar, heat till it changes 
color, and take the pies from the oven. Eat cold. 

Sweet Potato Pie. 4^ 
3 cups sweet milk. 

1 cup " potato. 
J " sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Juice of half a lemon. 

Boil the sweet potatoes, good sound ones, in a little 
water till tender. Kemove the skins, and trim off any de- 
fective spots on the surface or ends ; in wet seasons, there 
is often a dark layer just beneath the skin. Grate the po- 
tato or mash fine, till you have a cupful ; mix this well with 
the milk, leaving no lumps ; or you may put the milk and 
potato through a colander. Then beat the yolks, lemon and 
sugar together, and stir in the milk and potato ; add the 
well-whipped whites, and mix thoroughly. Line two pie- 
pans with a very firrn cream paste, set them in the oven, 
and fill with the potato batter ; bake rather slowly until the 
center is thickened, and almost firm. Then remove the 
pies from the oven, slip from the tins to plates, and set in a 
cool place. Serve cold the day you make them. 



296 health in the household. [part iii. 

Pumpkin Pie. 4|= 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1J- pints stewed pumpkin. 

2 even tablespoonfuls sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

In preparing the pumpkin, which should be ripe and of 
good quality, peel, slice and cut, removing the seeds ; then 
stew till tender, but not long enough to change its color. 
Let it get thoroughly soft before you stir it ; and start in so 
little water that it will not be too wet when done ; you can, 
if necessary, add a trifle of boiling water as it stews. After 
stirring, cook very little ; much cooking destroys the fine 
fresh flavor of the pumpkin, which is its greatest excellence. 
The best for pies or sauce, is one that is known West as the 
" Yankee " pumpkin ; it is largely cultivated in New Eng- 
land, and is the color of a very ripe orange. 

When stewed add a portion of the milk, and rub through 
a colander or mash fine, to remove the lumps ; if it is sweet 
and ripe, no sugar will be needed. If only of ordinary 
quality, add the sugar to the yolks, and beat well together ; 
stir these into the pumpkin, add the whites whipped to a 
stiff froth, and beat thoroughly. Then stir in the rest of 
the milk, and dip into pie-pans lined with a stiff cream 
paste ; make this of equal parts Graham and white flour, 
sifted. Have a moderate oven, heating well at the bottom, 
and bake till the pies are barely firm in the center ; then 
take them out, slip from the tins to plates, and set in a cool 
place. Serve warm or cold ; they are best, eaten an hour 
after baking. 

Pumpkin Pie. — (With less Eggs.)^ 

When eggs are scarce, a very fair pie may be made by 
using only one egg to two pies ; and a good way is to stir 
half the milk into the pumpkin, heat the other half to boil 



paut in. J PIES, ETC. 297 

ing, and stir it into the cold batter the last thing before 
bciidng. Xt is better when few eggs are used, not to mix 
too thin ; you may take nearly as much pumpkin as there 
is milk ; and a little flour stirred into the batter before 
wnipping in the eggs, is an improvement. Bake till the 
pies are firm in the center, and eat the day you make them. 
In the absence of cream paste, you may oil the pie-pans, 
and sift either fine oat meal (" A " grade), or fine corn meal 
over them, and then fill with the batter, and bake. Or you 
may oil the pans, and strew with finely grated bread-crumbs, 
dry and stale ; or rolled crackers, if you have them. Of 
course, a crust made after either of these methods, will not 
be equal to good cream paste. 

Pumpkix Pie. — ( Without Eggs.) 

3 cups sweet milk. 

3 - stewed pumpkin. 

2 tablespoonfuls molasses or syrup. 

2 (even) tablesj)oonfuls white flour. 

If you have not pure molasses use melted sugar, brown 
or maple. Mix the flour to a smooth paste, with a little 
cold milk or water; then stir it into the milk, and bring the 
latter to a boil. Heat in a farina-kettle, or a tin bucket set 
in a pot of boiling water, and stir often. Mix the molasses 
through the cold pumpkin, and beat thoroughly; then stir 
in the hot milk. The pumpkin should be stewed rather dry. 
Dip immediately into pie-pans lined with a firm cream 
paste, and place in a moderate oven; the mixture will make 
one large, or two small pies. Bake till they are done in the 
center, but no longer. 

If to be eaten the same day, slip them out of the pans 
into plates. They are good cold or warm — not hot. If in- 
tended for the next day, set away in the pans, provided 
these are free from rust; when wanted for the table, place 



298 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

on top of the stove where the crust will heat through 
quickly, without scorching; this makes it crisp and tender, 
as if fresh from the oven. 

Squash Pie.^ 

Stew the squash till soft, having it rather moist ; then 

mash fine. For three pies take three eggs, four cups of 

milk, and two of squash; and if the latter is not pretty 

sweet, add to it one heaping or two level tablespoonfuls of 

sugar. In mixing, first add a cup of the milk to the squash, 

and rub through a colander or fine sieve; then beat the 

yolks and sugar together, and stir them in; add also the 

whites whipped to a stiff froth, and beat hard. Stir in the 

rest of the milk, and fill the pie-pans lined with a stiff 

cream paste; bake till the batter is thick in the middle, but 

not a moment longer. When done remove the pies from 

the pans, put them on plates, and set in a cool place. Eat 

the day they are baked — or better, half an hour after they 

leave the oven. 

Lemon Tart. 

| cup sugar. 

| " boiling water. 

2 lemons — juice of. 

2 even teaspoonfuls corn-starch. 

Wet the corn-starch with a little cold water, and pour the 
boiling water over it, stirring well to prevent lumping; then 
add the lemon juice and sugar, and stir all together. Bake 
in a single pie, with upper and under crust of good cream 
paste. In this, as in other tarts, roll the crusts thin, and 
bake quickly. 

Green Apple Tart.=)^ 

Pare, core and slice tart June apples, not quite ripe, and 
fill two pie-pans lined with a stiff cream paste; make this 
of equal parts Graham and white flour, sifted. Fill the 



PART III.] PIES, ETC. 299 

pans pretty full; and unless the apples are very juicy, add 
a trifle of water. Cover with the paste, and bake in a quick 
oven till the fruit is well done, and the bottom and top 
crusts nicely browned. Then take out the pies, and slip 
from the pans to plates ; split each one open with a knife, 
lay the top crusts on separate plates, and spread half the 
apple on them. While still hot, sprinkle well with good 
brown sugar, maple if you have it, and send (on the four 
plates) to the table. Serve with or without a dressing of 
cream; they are excellent. 

Currant Tart. 
Take red currants that are about half or two-thirds ripe, 
strip them from the stems, and fill your pie-pans lined with 
a good cream paste; sprinkle with sugar, lay on the top 
crust, and make the edges secure. Then prick well with a 
fork, and cut a cross-slit in the center; or, what is prettier, 
ornament with a knife, making "leafy sprays," for the 
escape of steam. Bake quickly till the crusts are done, 
then set away to cool. 

Kaspberry and Currant Tart. 

Pick the ripe currants from the stems, and mix with 
them an equal quantity of red or black raspberries ; then 
proceed as in the last recipe. 

Strawberries, blackberries, huckleberries, and seeded 
cherries, are made into pies or tarts, the same as currants ; 
except that the fruits which are not so acid, require less 
sugar. 

Cream Kaspberry Tart. 

Scald a cup of milk or cream, and stir into it half a tea- 
spoonful of corn-starch wet with a little cold milk; boil two 
minutes, stirring constantly. Then beat a tablespoonful of 
sugar into the whites of two eggs, and stir them in; cook a 
minute longer, and remove from the fire to cooL 



300 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

In the mean time make a stiff cream paste, and line a 
dish that is two inches deep; fill it two-thirds full of rasp- 
berries, sprinkle lightly with sugar, and cover with a crust ; 
do not pinch it down at the edge. Both crusts should be 
somewhat thicker than for an ordinary pie. Bake in a good 
even oven till done, top and bottom. When taken out lift 
off the upper crust, and pour the cold custard over the hot 
fruit; then replace, and set the pie away till perfectly cold. 
Serve in the bake-pan. 

If preferred, make the top crust of light cream paste, in- 
stead of in the ordinary way. 

Steawbeeey Taet. 
Make the same as the last, and serve cold. 

GoOSEBEEEY TAET. 

Select fine, fresh berries that are beginning to ripen; 
remove the stems and blossoms, and wash in a (folander. 
Then line the pie-pans with a firm cream paste, fill with the 
fruit, and add sugar to taste ; cover with a crust, prick well, 
and bake quickly till the pastry is done. Eat cold. 

Damson Taet. 

Look over and wash the plums, and fill the pie-pans, 
lined with the ordinary cream paste. Add sugar to sweeten, 
lay on the top crust, and pinch the edges securely together; 
then either prick with a fork, finishing with a cross-slit in 
the center of the crust, or ornament with a knife in such a 
way as to let the steam out in baking. Have a good oven, 
and bake till well done, top and bottom. Serve cold. 

Ceanbeeey Taet. 

Pick over the berries, rejecting all that are not sound ; 
then wash, and stew in a porcelain kettle, allowing, say two 



PART III.] THE GRAINS. 301 

pails water to three of fruit, by measure. Stew very slowly 
twenty to thirty minutes, and strain through a coarse col- 
ander, pressing through all but the skins. Then return to 
the kettle, and add sugar, allowing half or two-thirds of a 
cup to a quart of the picked berries. Heat the sauce to 
a boil, stir well, and set it off to cool. Put into pie-pans 
under crusts of stiff cream paste, and fill with the cran- 
berry; roll a bit of dough very thin, cut it into strips less' 
than a quarter of an inch wide, and lay in cross-bars three- 
quarters of an inch apart over each pie, leaving the spaces 
diamond-shaped. Pinch down the ends, trim off the dough, 
cutting it close to the rim of the pan, and finish the edges 
neatly. Bake till the pastry is well done ; then slip from the 
tins, place on plates, and set away to cool. 

Rhubarb Tart. 

Wash and skin the stalks, split them once or twice (the 
thin way of the stalk), and cut in inch lengths. Then add 
a little water, and stew in a porcelain kettle till tender ; 
sweeten to taste, just before lifting from the fire ; it will re- 
quire nearly half a cup of sugar to a quart of cut rhubarb. 
Line the pans with the usual cream paste, mixed stiff, and 
fill with the sauce ; then cover with cross-bars of thin paste, 
and bake till the crust is done. 

An excellent tart is made as follows : Take a granitized 
iron pan two inches deep, fill it with cut rhubarb, sweeten 
to taste, and cover with a light cream paste ; prick well, cut 
a slit in the center, and bake. Serve cold. 

THE GRAINS. 

Minute directions have been given in Part II. for steam- 
ing the grains. It is needless to say that they are very 
good and very wholesome — provided you do not spoil them 
by serving with cream and sugar. " How shall we eat 
them ? " is the question often asked. With the rare fruit 



302 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

juices, of course ; try them. Prepare these in summer when 
fruits are plenty, and seal in cans for winter use. (You will 
find special directions for making them in Part II.) The 
juices of strawberries, raspberries, currants, or raspberries 
and currants mixed, are truly delightful ; so are those of 
cherries, blackberries, grapes and gooseberries. Or the 
fruits, either stewed or canned, make a good dressing. 

To the unperverted palate, the grains and mushes are very 
good eaten simply with the hard Graham roll, or with dry 
toast. A little mashed potato, dry and mealy, just enough 
to " feather " the bit of mush or grain on the end of the 
fork, is not a bad accompaniment. If you do not like this 
combination, and have not the fruits, then the next best 
plan is to stir into the dish of grain, just as you take it from 
the steamer, a very little cream ; not more than a third of a 
teacupful to all the family will eat. If they can not 
relish the grains in any of these ways, let them try the 
" fruit and bread " diet for a few days, which will be all the 
better for the stomach. Should so plain a regimen fail to 
satisfy, fasting is the proper remedy. 

MUSHES. 

These are served the same as the grains ; the methods of 
preparing mushes are fully described in Part II. 

PUDDINGS. 

Puddings, at best, are scarcely considered hygienic ; as 
usually made and served, they are decidedly objectionable ; 
but as they might be made, they are perhaps as healthful" 
as half or two-thirds of the other dishes that will be found 
in Part HX In other words, they are " at home " with 
cakes, custards, custard pies, fancy desserts, eggs, omelets, 
fish, poultry, game, and an endless variety of meats and 
meat preparations — to say nothing of worse things not 



PART III.] PUDDINGS. 303 

herein mentioned, and that have long since been banished 
entirely from tables making any pretensions to hygiene. 

Those who really desire to live hygienically — and there- 
fore healthfully — will find it to their advantage to select in 
the main from Part II., leaving Part III. for only occasional 
reference. 

Many of the puddings described in the following recipes, 
are made chiefly of fruits and cereals, and contain as little 
as possible of that very unhygienic combination, " milk, 
eggs and sugar," which is so bad for the liver. And the 
dressings, when any are used, are most of them as plain as 
the puddings themselves ; they contain no brandies, sher- 
ries, or other wines ; no spices, no butter, and not a large 
amount of sugar. 

A number of the very plain puddings, are little else than 
simple fruit preparations, to be eaten cold ; they are conven- 
ient to have in summer, when meals are prepared with as 
little fire as possible. And many of the puddings that are 
to be eaten " lukewarm," may be served cold, if desired. 

"When bread-crumbs are used in the making, have them 
dry, and rather stale ; and part at least, of good home-made 
Graham loaf, unsweetened. If sweet fruits, as currants or 
raisins, are among the ingredients required, look them over 
carefully, wash in a colander till they are free from sediment, 
and then dry thoroughly before dredging with flour. Use 
no spices or pungent flavorings, and of course no wines or 
brandies, either in the puddings or sauces. Butter, too, had 
better be omitted from both ; when it is cooked or heated, 
it is particularly indigestible. If eggs enter into the com- 
bination, see that they are fresh ; and separate the yolks 
and whites carefully before beating. In oiling the dishes 
have them cold, to prevent sticking ; take for this purpose 
the fat from clean dripping, or a little pure olive oil. 

If the ordinary Graham flour is used, you may have to 
put it through a coarse sieve. Endeavor to get pure soda 



304 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

and cream of tartar, and take these instead of baking- 
powder, unless you know the latter to be free from adulter- 
ations. The "Price," or the "Boyal," is thought to be 
as good as any ; these powders are said to contain no 
foreign ingredient, except starch — of which there is about 
33 per cent. ; so that in measuring, it is necessary to heap 
the spoon ; whereas, a " teaspoonful " of soda or cream of 
tartar, is the spoon filled not above the level. 

In making with Indian meal, particularly if the pudding 
is to be steamed, get the yellow flint (golden), if possible, 
though the white flint is good. And in steaming, endeavor, 
first, to keep the water constantly at a fast boil ; second, if 
any has to be added, to put it in boiling hot ; third, not to 
open the steamer till the pudding is done ; fourth, to send 
to the table as soon as it is taken out. In either steaming 
or boiling, allow plenty of room for the pudding to swell ; 
if you boil, wring the bag out of hot water, and flour it 
well inside before filling. Allow for swelling a space equal 
to at least one-third the volume of the pudding ; then tie 
securely and boil, keeping plenty of water in the pot, and 
the latter closely covered ; turn the bag over from time to 
time. In boiling a rolly-poly, a good plan is simply to baste 
a cloth loosely around it, flouring well inside, and allowing 
room to swell. 

Puddings that in baking incline to stick to the bottom or 
sides of the pan, as batter puddings, green corn puddings, 
etc., should be poured into a dish (the latter well oiled), 
and then set in the oven within a shallow pan of boiling 
water. Custards, and all puddings that contain milk and 
eggs, should be managed in the same way, baked very slowly, 
and only till the custard is set. If the milk is to be heated, 
do it in a farina-kettle, or a tin bucket set in a pot of boiling 
water ; then there is no danger of scorching. When it 
begins to boil, lift from the fire ; and either cool to luke- 
warm before stirring it into the beaten eggs, or add it a 
little at a time, to prevent curdling. 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 305 

SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 

Bird's-Nest Pudding.^ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

12 apples, rather tart, medium size. 
| cup raisins, seeded and chopped. 
| " currants, picked and washed. 
£ " sugar. 
3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

2 tablespoonfuls flour. 

Time — for custard, 20 to 30 minutes, slow oven. 
Pare and core the apples, place them closely together in 
a shallow pudding-dish (earthen or granitized iron), and fill 
the centers with the raisins and currants. Then add a little 
water, just enough to cook them, and bake till the apples 
are soft, but not broken to pieces. When done remove 
from the oven, and while the fruit is cooling beat the yolks, 
whip in the sugar, add the milk, and stir in the flour. Then 
beat the whites to a stiff froth, add them, and stir again ; 
pour the raw custard over the apples, and set the dish into 
the oven, inside a dripping-pan containing a little boiling 
water. Bake slowly till the custard is set, but not till it 
separates ; it will take from twenty to thirty minutes. 
Serve lukewarm, without a dressing ; this pudding is excel- 
lent. If you have not the sweet fruit, use a little sugar 
instead. 

Bread and Fruit Pudding. 

3 cups sweet milk. 

2 " (scant) fine bread-crumbs, stale. 

2 " finely chopped apples, rather tart. 

1 cup raisins, seeded and chopped, and dredged with 

flour. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — an hour and a quarter, slow oven. 



306 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HI. 

Prepare the crumbs, or part of thern, from good home- 
made Graham loaf if you have it ; scald the milk, pour it 
over them, and mix lightly. Then stir the sugar into the 
beaten yolks, and add the bread and milk, a little at a time; 
or you may wait till the latter is cool enough not to curdle 
the eggs. Then stir in the well-whipped whites, and also 
the fruit ; pour the batter into a pudding-dish, and set it, 
covered, in the oven, inside a shallow pan with boiling 
water in it. Bake in a moderate oven, allowing an hour 
and a quarter to cook the fruit. Serve nearly cold, without 
a dressing. 

Huckleberries may be substituted for the raisins, using 
two cups instead of one, and adding to the milk a pinch of 
soda, dissolved in a very little boiling water ; the soda must 
be stirred in before the fruit is added. 

Grated Apple Pudding. 

2 cups sour cream — or part sour milk. 

3 " grated (or scraped) apples, rather tart. 
2 " sifted white flour. 

1 tablespoonful fine corn meal. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — 40 to 50 minutes, slow oven. 

Beat the yolks, whip the sugar into them, add the cream, 
apples, meal and flour, and stir well ; then add the whites 
cut to a stiff froth, and also the dissolved soda, and beat 
thoroughly. Pour into a shallow pan, well oiled, and place 
immediately in a very moderate oven ; or a better way is to 
set the dish in a dripping-pan, containing boiling water. 
Bake from forty to fifty minutes. The pudding should not be 
more than an inch and a half or two inches thick when 
done ; and it should be delicately browned, top and bot- 
tom. You may send it to the table in the bake-dish ; or it 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 307 

can, with care, be turned out on a plate, and cut in pieces 
as you serve it. It is best eaten warm (not hot), and is 
good enough without sauce — though the little woman who 
used to make this pudding "to perfection," passed it to her 
guests with genuine maple molasses. 

Sweet cream or milk may be used for mixing, instead of 
sour ; in this case add two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, 
sifting it through the flour. If preferred, use only two eggs. 

Rhubarb Charlotte. 4£ 

3 pints cut rhubarb. 

3 cups fine bread-crumbs, stale. 

i cup cold water. 

3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

Time — 40 to 50 minutes. 
Wash, trim and peel the stalks of rhubarb, taking care 
that there are no worms hidden away in the body of them. 
Split each stalk once or twice, and cut into very short bits. 
Prepare the bread-crumbs from good home-made Graham 
loaf, rather stale ; then fill a pudding-dish with alternate 
layers of the crumbs and chopped rhubarb, beginning with 
the latter, and ending with the former. Make each layer of 
rhubarb twice as thick as the crumbs, and sprinkle the 
sugar over as you put it in. When the dish is full pour 
the water over the whole, and set it, covered, in the oven, 
inside a shallow pan of boiling water, and bake slowly half 
an hour ; then uncover, and brown quickly. Serve nearly 
or quite cold, with or without a dressing ; it is very good 
with mock cream, or lemon sauce. 

Gooseberries, just beginning to ripen, may be used in- 
stead of rhubarb. 

Sweet- Apple Pudding. — (Excellent.)^. 
3 quarts new milk. 

1 quart sweet apples, finely chopped. 
21 



308 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 



| cup sugar. 



1 pint (nearly) coarse corn meal. 

Single handful white flour. 

Time — three to four hours, slow oven. 
, Pare, core and slice the sweet apples, and chop them fine, 
having a full quart in all. Then put into a stone or earthen 
crock, or a farina-kettle, two quarts of the milk ; if new 
milk can not be had, add a cup of cream to the skimmed. 
Set it on the stove, and bring just to a boil ; if heated in a 
crock, see that the milk does not scorch in the least. Then 
stir in the corn meal, and beat very thoroughly to remove 
lumps. The batter, when the meal has had time to swell, 
should be almost too thick to pour, or about the consistency 
of good corn mush. Let the mixture again come to a boil, 
and cook, stirring five to seven minutes ; then remove from 
the fire, and add the quart of cold milk ; this will make the 
batter thin enough to pour readily. Now stir in the apples, 
sugar and flour, and beat well. If the mixing has been 
done in a crock, set it directly into the oven ; if in a farina- 
kettle, pour the batter into a deep pudding-dish, and set it 
in the oven, within a dripping-pan containing a pint or 
more of boiling water. Bake slowly, stirring several times 
the first hour ; the pudding should cook from three to four 
hours in all, and be moderately browned on top when done. 
This excellent dessert is served cold or warm (not hot), 
and without a dressing ; though the juices of certain fruits, 
as raspberries, cherries, etc., make a very good sauce for it. 
In the mixing, molasses or syrup may be used instead of 
sugar ; but the pudding is less delicate to the taste. And 
when sweet apples are not to be had, those of a mild but 
rich sub-acid flavor, can be substituted. 

This has been called, "The sweet-apple pudding of the 
olden times." And one who remembers, says of it : "More 
than fifty years ago, when the woods covered the hills and 
valleys of Otsego County, N. Y., my mother used to make 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 309 

this pudding, and bake it slowly in an old-fashioned bake- 
kettle, which stood on legs two inches in length, and had an 
iron cover on which we put coals and hot embers when we 
wanted to brown the top. We hung the kettle on the crane 
in the capacious fire-place, and let it cook slowly all the 
forenoon, or afternoon, according as it was wanted for dinner 
or supper. Or if there was a stone or brick oven, it was put 
in a little before the bread, unless that happened, as it often 
did, to be all rye and Indian, when it was put in at the 
same time, and baked from three to four hours, according 
to size." 

Lemon Pudding. — ( Choice. ) 4£ 

3 cups sweet milk — new is best. 

\ cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

2 tablespoonfuls cornstarch. 

Juice of two lemons. 

Time — 20 to 30 minutes, slow oven. 

Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, and bring it to a boil ; 
then star in the corn-starch, wet with a little cold milk or 
water. Boil five minutes, stirring constantly to prevent 
lumping, and remove from the fire. Whip into the beaten 
yolks the sugar and lemon, and when the mixture is almost 
cold, stir them into it ; then the whites, cut to a stiff froth. 
Pour the custard into a dish, set it inside a shallow pan of 
boiling water, and bake slowly twenty to thirty minutes, or 
until barely set. Serve warm or cold. For a larger pud- 
ding, double the quantity of ingredients ; though less eggs 
will do. 

This pudding is very delicate in flavor. 

Lemon Meringue Pudding. — ( Good.)^. 

3 cups sweet milk. 

1 cup " cream. 

2 cups dry bread-crumbs — home-made Graham loaf. 



310 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

§- cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of two lemons. 

Time — 30 to 40 minutes, slow oven. 

Turn the milk and cream together, and soak the crumbs 
in it half an hour ; if you have new milk, take a quart of it 
and leave out the cream. Stir into the beaten yolks half 
the sugar, and half the lemon ; then add the bread and 
milk, pour all into a pudding-dish, and place in a dripping- 
pan with boiling water in it. Bake slowly thirty to forty 
minutes, or until the custard is set. When firm, cover with 
a meringue made by beating together the whites, and the 
rest of the sugar and lemon ; close the oven, and brown 
moderately. Serve lukewarm ; no dressing. 

An orange pudding is made in the same way ; the oranges 
should be fresh, rich in flavor, and tart or sub-acid. 

Bread Pudding. =£ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 pint broken bread, stale. 

^ cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — 20 to 30 minutes, slow oven. 

In all bread puddings, use good home-made loaf, stale 
and dry, but perfectly sweet ; Graham or part Graham 
(always unsweetened), is best. Soak the bread in the milk 
till soft, but do not stir ; then beat the yolks, stir into these 
the sugar, and then the bread, milk, and the well-whipped 
whites. Stir all lightly together, pour into a pudding-dish, 
and set in the oven, within a shallow pan of boiling water. 
Bake slowly twenty to thirty minutes, or till the pudding is 
barely firm in the center ; if a little creamy, it is all the 
better ; and on no account let it cook till watery or wheyey. 

If wanted on short notice, scald the milk, pour it over 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 311 

the bread, and add these, little by little, to the sugar and 
yolks beaten together ; then stir in the whites whipped to a 
good froth, and bake as before. Serve nearly cold, with- 
out a dressing. 

Bread Pudding. — (With Meringue.)^ 

3 pints sweet milk. 

1 pint dry bread-crumbs. 

1 cup currants — or seedless raisins. 

i " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — an hour and ten minutes, slow oven. 
Heat the milk, and pour it over the bread without stir- 
ring ; beat the yolks, and add to these the bread and milk, 
mixing in a little at a time; then stir in the sweet fruit, 
dredged with flour. Pour the batter into a pudding-dish 
and place in the oven, inside a shallow pan of boiling water, 
and bake covered, very slowly, an hour and ten minutes, or 
till the raisins are tender. When done, cover with a mer- 
ingue made by beating together the whites and sugar, and 
brown slightly. Serve lukewarm, without a dressing. 

Another pudding with the same ingredients, is made as 
follows : Slice the bread instead of crumbing, and cover 
the bottom of a pudding-dish with part of it ; strew on a 
portion of the raisins, and moisten well with a raw custard, 
made of the milk, eggs and sugar. Repeat the process 
until the dish is nearly full, having the last layer of bread, 
well soaked; then pour the remainder of the custard over 
the pudding, cover, and bake as before. 

Queen of Puddings. — (Good.)^. 

1 quart new milk — if skimmed, part cream. 

2 cups (heaping) dry bread-crumbs, finely grated. 

1 pint strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, huckle- 
berries, or sliced peaches. 



312 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

f cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of one lemon. 

Time — 30 to 40 minutes, slow oven. 

Soak the crumbs (good home-made Graham loaf) in the 
milk, without stirring; then beat the yolks, whip into these 
half the sugar, and add the bread and milk, stirring as little 
as possible. Pour all into a dish, filling it not quite full, 
place within a pan of boiling water, and bake very slowly 
thirty to forty minutes — or till the custard is firm in the 
middle, but not till it separates. Then spread with a layer 
(not too thick) of ripe fruit, as strawberries, blackberries, 
raspberries, huckleberries, or ripe peaches, the latter peeled, 
stoned, and thinly sliced. Cover immediately with a mer- 
ingue, made by beating together the whites, the rest of the 
sugar, and the juice of the lemon. Return to the oven, 
and brown slightly. Serve nearly cold without a dressing, 
or with a little cream. 

In winter, spread this pudding lightly with raspberry 
jam, thick cranberry sauce, or smooth apple sauce prepared 
with very little water; then cover with the meringue as be- 
fore, and heat till it tinges. 

Cocoa-Nut Pudding. 

1 quart new milk. 

2 cups fine bread-crumbs, dry and stale. 
f cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
1 cocoa-nut, pared and grated. 
Juice of one small lemon. 

Time — to bake, 30 to 40 minutes, slow oven. 

If the milk of the cocoa-nut is perfectly sweet, save it 
in a separate vessel. Having pared off the brown or outer 
portion of the nut, and grated the rest into the milk, put 






FART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 313 

the latter into a farina-kettle, arid place on the back of the 
stove, where it will keep warm but not cook; stir occasion- 
ally. After an hour or more, heat the mixture slowly, but 
do not let it boil ; then remove from the fire, let it stand 
till nearly cold, and strain through a coarse cloth, removing 
the grated nut ; squeeze well, to get out all the essence. 
Then pour it over the crumbs, and when they have soaked 
a little stir the sugar into the beaten yolks, and add them; 
put in also the milk of the cocoa-nut, and mix thoroughly. 
Pour the custard into a pudding-dish, well oiled, set the 
latter inside a dripping-pan with boiling water in it, and 
bake in a slow oven thirty to forty minutes, or till the cus- 
tard is just set. Then beat together the whites, the lemon, 
and the rest of the sugar, spread the froth on top, and heat 
till it colors a little. Serve cold or nearly cold; no dressing. 
Many persons with weak stomachs can not digest the 
cocoa-nut fiber, no matter how long it is cooked; hence the 
precaution to strain it out, altogether. 

Peach Batter Pudding. 

2 cups sweet cream. 

3 cups sifted flour — half Graham. 

-§ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1} teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 

2 quarts peeled peaches. 

Time — at least an hour; good oven. 
Kather tart clingstone peaches are best for this pudding; 
peel and wash them, leaving in the stones if you take 
clings; and if not pretty ripe, slash deeply with a knife in 
several places, so that they will cook faster. Then lay them 
in a pudding-dish, and if not very juicy add a tablespoon- 
ful of water; cover with a batter made by mixing together 
the cream, flour, and dissolved soda, and bake in an even 
oven one hour, or till the fruit is done; if the crust browns 
too fast, cover with a paper. If freestone peaches are used, 



314 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

select those that are rather firm, peel them, cut in halves, 
and then make like the preceding; if the fruit is quite tart, 
add a little sugar before putting on the crust. Serve warm, 
with or without a dressing of cream. This pudding must 
not stand after baking, or the crust will be heavy. 

Canned peaches (whole ones if you have them) may be 
substituted for fresh ones ; drain off nearly all the syrup ; 
and if you like, save it to serve with the pudding, instead 
of cream. If you use baking-powder, rather than soda and 
cream of tartar, take two heaping teaspoonfuls to a pint of 
cream. Or you may mix with sour cream and soda, using 
a teaspoonful of the latter to a pint (two cups) of the 
former. 

Apple Batter Pudding. 4£ 

2 cups sweet cream. 

If " sifted Graham flour. 

1| " " white 

| teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

H teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 

3 quarts apples, peeled, quartered and cored. 
Time — one hour. 

Select apples of a rich, sub-acid flavor; and if they are 
average size, or larger, cut the quarters once through be- 
fore baking. Wash these quickly in clean water, and lay 
evenly over the bottom of a pudding-dish ; this should 
be about ten inches square ; or it may be eight inches 
wide, and twelve long ; if larger, the crust made from 
the above proportions of flour, etc., will not be thick 
enough. The water adhering to the apples in wash- 
ing, will make the pie sufficiently juicy. Form a batter of 
the other ingredients, beat till smooth, and pour it over the 
fruit; bake in a moderate oven, one hour. This is a plain 
but excellent pudding, particularly if the apples are fine ; 
rosy jennetings, not too ripe, are very good; so are Bald- 



PART in.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 315 

wins, or winesaps. Send it to the table as soon as done, 
and serve warm from the bake-dish, with or without a 
dressing of thin cream ; it is very good without sauce. 

Berry Pudding. — (Light and Good.)^. 

2 cups sweet milk — new, if you have it. 

2 " sifted Graham flour. 

2 " " white " 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream of tartar sifted through the 

flour. 
1 quart blackberries, raspberries, or huckleberries. 
Time — two hours. 

Dredge the fruit with a portion of the flour, and sift the 
cream of tartar through the remainder. Whip the yolks 
and whites separately, make a batter of the milk, eggs and 
flour, stir in the dissolved soda, and beat thoroughly. Then 
add the dredged fruit, stirring it in lightly, so as not 
to break it. Pour the batter into a well-oiled pudding- 
dish, cover the latter closely, leaving plenty of room to 
swell, and set in the steamer, over a pot of boiling water. 
Cook two hours, keeping the steamer tightly closed (it 
should not be opened once), and the water at a fast boil. 
When done, send immediately to the table, and serve warm 
with fruit sauce, mock cream, or cream and sugar. 

Huckleberry Pudding. 

1 pint new milk. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

1 " (nearly) sifted white flour. 
^ cup good hop yeast. 

2 eggs, well beaten. 

f teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water, 



316 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

1 quart berries, well dredged with flour. 
Time — two hours. 

If the milk is not new it must be boiled, and cooled to 
blood heat ; stir in the flour, yeast, beaten eggs, and dis- 
solved soda, forming a smooth batter, and set it where it 
will keep warm ; it should be light in from two to three 
hours, if . the yeast is good. "When risen, stir in the fruit 
lightly, pour the batter into a round pudding-dish, well 
oiled, and steam as in the last recipe ; it will require about 
two hours. Serve as soon as done, with cream and sugar, 
mock cream, or other plain sauce. 

Blackberries, or other small fruits, may be used instead 
of huckleberries. 

Baked Blackberry Pudding. 

Make the same as the last, using either blackberries or 
huckleberries, and then bake instead of steaming ; it will 
require about an hour, in an even oven. Serve the same as 
the last. 

Steamed Rolly-Poly. — (Excellent)^ 

1 cup sweet cream — or enough for rather a firm 

dough. 
lh cups sifted Graham flour. 
1| " " white " 

1 teaspoonful soda. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 

1 quart (nearly) of berries, seeded cherries, chopped 

apples, or sliced peaches. 
Time — two hours. 
Mix the Graham and white flour together, then pulverize 
the soda finely with a knife, and add it to the cream of 
tartar ; stir these well through the flour, and sift two or three 
times. Wet with the cream, forming a tolerably stiff dough, 
and handling as little as possible ; roll into an oblong sheet 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 317 

a quarter of an inch thick, and cover with the fruit, leaving 
a little margin at the edge ; sprinkle lightly with sugar, if 
the fruit is tart. Then begin at one end and roll up tightly, 
leaving the fruit inside ; pinch the edges firmly together. 
Wrap a clean dry napkin around the roll, allowing plenty of 
room to swell, put it into a tin basin, and cover closely ; 
then place in a steamer over a pot of boning water, and 
steam two hours without uncovering. If you have to use a 
steamer with holes in the bottom, put two small sticks or 
bits of wood in it, and set the basin on top of these, leaving 
room for the steam to enter beneath ; keep the water at a 
fast boil. When done remove the cloth, and send directly 
to the table. Cut across the roll, in slices half to three- 
quarters of an inch thick, and serve with mock cream, 
fruit sauce, or cream and sugar. 

This pudding may be boiled, but steaming is better. 
If you boil, wring the pudding-bag out of hot water, flour 
it well inside, and put in the roll, leaving ample room to 
swell ; the space allowed after the bag is tied, should be 
equal to at least one-third the size of the roll. If the bag 
is too wide for it, baste to the required size but not too 
snugly, as the pudding will swell sidewise as well as length- 
wise. Drop it into a pot of boiling water, and boil without 
stopping, for an hour and a half ; turn frequently, and keep 
the pot well filled up, adding water boiling hot. When 
done plunge quickly into cold water, take it out, and then 
remove the bag ; lay the pudding on a hot plate, and send 
immediately to the table. 

These fruit rolls are drier and more wholesome baked, 
than boiled or steamed ; but they require a little care 
in the oven, else the top will brown too much before the 
dough is done inside. In mixing the batter, sour cream 
may be used, and the cream of tartar omitted. 



318 health in the household. [part iii. 

Baked Fruit Eoll.4|= 

Make the same as the last, rolling the dough in one wide 
sheet ; when the fruit is secured inside, lay the roll in an 
earthen or granitized iron pan, slightly oiled. Place this in 
a dripping-pan containing a little boiling water, and bake 
in a steady oven ; turn another pan over the top, if it 
browns too fast. At the end of half an hour remove the 
dish from the pan of water, and bake, covered, three-quar- 
ters of an hour longer ; this will brown the bottom as well 
as the top ; and the half hour's baking in the steam of the 
boiling water, will make the crust softer, and less liable to 
crack open and let out the fruit juice. Take the roll from 
the oven some minutes before sending to the table, as it 
should be partly cooled before cutting. Serve with fruit 
sauce, or cream and sugar ; or it may be eaten without a 
dressing. If properly made and baked, this is a most ex- 
cellent dessert, and as wholesome as it is good. 

Cherry Roll. 

Wash, stem and seed the cherries, having a quart of 
them after the pits are removed. Then make a light cream 
paste, the same as for Steamed Roily-Poly (last recipe but 
one), and roll in an oblong sheet. Cover with the cherries, 
leaving a good margin at the edge, and if the fruit is sour 
sprinkle with sugar ; then roll up snugly, and pinch well at 
the ends ; you may bake, steam, or boil. If you bake, 
manage the same as in the last recipe, except that you make 
two rolls instead of one ; lay them a little apart in the pud- 
ding-dish, and bake the first half hour in a pan containing 
boiling water ; then bake, covered, three-quarters of an 
hour in the dry oven. 

If the pudding is to be steamed, roll a clean napkin 
around it, leaving plenty of room to swell ; put it into a 
covered tin basin, and place in a steamer over a pot of 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 319 

boiling water. Cook two hours without lifting the lid of 
tne steamer, and keep the water constantly boiling. If you 
prefer to boil, rather than steam or bake, put the roll inside 
a bag wrung out of hot water, and well floured inside; tie 
it securely, allowing ample room to swell, and boil without 
stopping, an hour and a half. Have plenty of water, keep 
the pot covered, and turn the bag over frequently. When 
the pudding is done plunge quickly into cold water, lift it 
out, and remove the bag. 

If steamed or boiled, send to the table as soon as done. 
Serve with mock cream, fruit sauce, or cream and sugar. 

Baked Batter Pudding. =J£ 

2 cups sweet milk — part cream, if you have it. 
1 cup sifted Graham flour. 

1 " " white 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

\ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
1 " cream-tartar. 

Time — fully an hour. 

Mix the Graham and white flour together, and sift the 
cream of tartar through it ; beat the yolks, add the milk, 
and then the flour, stirring to a smooth batter ; add also 
the whites whipped to a stiff froth, and beat well; then 
stir in the dissolved soda, and beat very thoroughly. Pour 
the batter into a pudding-dish, well oiled, place in a moder- 
ate oven within a shallow pan of boiling water, and bake 
half an hour ; then remove from the pan of water, and bake 
in the dry oven another half hour. It is a good plan in 
batter puddings to test with a broom-straw, by passing it 
through the thickest portion ; when it comes out clean, 
bake three to five minutes longer ; then take from the oven, 
send directly to the table, and serve with fruit sauce, sweet 
fruit, or cream and sugar. Some prefer simply cream ; 



320 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

others like a spoonful of fruit, as stewed raspberries, with a 
little cream over the whole. 

This, like all batter puddings, is excellent warmed over ; 
dip the piece left into cold water, lay it on a pie-pan, cover 
with another, and then place in a hot oven till thoroughly 
heated through. Stewed or canned fruit, as raspberries, 
strawberries, etc., make a good dressing for it. 

Steamed Batter Pudding. 4j: 

1 quart sweet milk. 

\ cup sifted Graham flour. 

f " " white 

\ " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — an hour and a half. 
Beat the yolks and sugar together, add the milk, and stir 
in the flour ; then add the whites whipped to a stiff froth, 
and beat hard. Pour the batter into an oiled pan, filling it 
not quite full ; this will give room to swell ; then cover, 
place in the steamer, and steam an hour and a half without 
lifting the lid ; keep the water at a fast boil. Send to the 
table as soon as done, and serve with cream, fruit, or fruit 
juice. 

Steamed Batter Pudding. 

2 cups sour milk — or sour cream. 
1 cup Graham flour. 

1 " white 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — two hours. 
Make a batter of the flour and milk, add the whipped 
yolks and whites, and the dissolved soda, and beat thorough- 
ly. Steam the same as the last, only half an hour longer ; 
and when done, serve with mock cream, fruit sauce, or 
cream and sugar. 



PART in.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 321 

Steamed Batter Pudding.— (Bicher.)# 

1 cup sour milk — or buttermilk. 

li cups sifted Graham flour. 

2~ " " white 

| cup finely powdered beef suet. 

-L " pure molasses — or pure syrup. 

1 " currants — or seedless raisins. 

f teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time— two hours and a half. 

Dredge the sweet fruit with a portion of the flour, and 
through the remainder of it rub the finely powdered suet ; 
if currants are used, they must be carefully picked over, 
and washed and dried before dredging. Mix the molasses 
and milk together, and stir in the flour to form a batter; 
then add the dissolved soda, and beat hard. Stir in the 
dredged fruit, and pour the batter into a basin well oiled, 
filling it. not quite full ; cover with an inverted pie-pan, or 
other closely fitting lid, set it in a steamer, and steam two 
hours and a half. Do not uncover till the pudding is done ; 
and keep the water at a fast boil. 

If you have not a steamer, pour the batter into a tin 
bucket, well oiled, spread over the top a clean napkin or 
cloth wrung out of hot water, and floured well on the under 
side ; press the lid in tightly, turn the ends of the cloth 
back over it, and pin them together ; then set the bucket 
inside a pot of boning water, and cook two hours and a 
half, as before. The water must not come up to the top of 
the bucket ; and if it has to be renewed, add it boiling hot. 

This pudding may be put into a bag and boiled, instead 
of steamed ; if boiled allow two hours, turning the bag 
frequently, and keeping the pot well filled with boiling 
water. Serve as soon as done, with lemon sauce, fruit, or 
fruit juice ; or it may be eaten without a dressing. 



322 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

Cheistmas Plum Pudding. — (Excellent.)^: 

2 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 cup sifted Graham flour. 

1 " " white " 

1 " stale bread-crumbs, finely grated. 

-J " finely powdered beef suet. 

J " chopped apples. 

£ " currants, picked, washed and dried. 

J " raisins, seeded and chopped. 

J " citron, finely shredded. 

-| " sugar. 

1 teaspoonf ul soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two hours and a half. 

First, dredge the sweet fruit with a portion of the flour ; 
then make a batter by stirring together the crumbs and 
milk, the rest of the flour, the suet, sugar, and dissolved 
soda ; beat very thoroughly. Then stir in the dredged fruit, 
the chopped apple and citron, and mix all lightly together ; 
pour the pudding into a round tin basin, previously oiled, 
cover with an inverted plate or pie-pan, and place in a 
steamer. Keep the water constantly boning, and do not 
lift the lid till done ; it will require two hours and a half. 
"When taken out send directly to the table, and serve with 
tart fruit (as canned egg-plums), or with lemon sauce ; the 
latter is best. 

This pudding is plainer than most plum puddings, there 
being so little sweet fruit or sugar in proportion to the 
milk, flour and bread-crumbs. The spices also are omitted, 
together with the " brown sherries " and brandies, these being 
an abomination to all hygienists. 

Graham Pudding. — ( With Fruit. )# 

1 cup sour milk or cream. 

2 cups sifted Graham flour. 



PAP.T III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 323 

1 cup raisins, seeded and chopped. 

J " currants, picked, washed and dried. 

i " pure molasses — or pui*e syrup. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

f teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two hours and a half. 

After dredging the fruit with a little of the flour, stir to- 
gether the milk, flour and molasses, add the whipped egg 
and dissolved soda, and beat hard ; then stir the -fruit in 
lightly. Pour the batter into a pan well oiled, cover, and 
set in the steamer ; keep the latter tightly closed, and steam 
two hours and a half. Serve as soon as done, with fruit, 
fruit sauce, or lemon sauce. 

If pure molasses can not be had, melt a third of a cup of 
sugar in a little boiling water. 

Graham Pudding. — ( With Fruit. )# 

1 cup sweet cream or milk. 

2 cups sifted Graham flour. 

1 cup raisins, seeded and chopped. 

J " sugar. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 
Time — two hours and a half. 

Dredge the raisins with a portion of the flour, and sift 
the cream of tartar through the remainder. Beat the egg 
and sugar together, add the milk, and stir in the flour, 
forming a smooth batter ; then add the dissolved soda, and 
beat well. Stir the fruit in last, mixing it evenly through 
the batter, and steam as in the preceding recipe. A third 
of a cup of citron, finely shredded, may be added with the 
raisins, if desired. Serve with lemon sauce, fruit, or fruit 
juice. 



324 health in the household. [part iii. 

Baked Indian Pudding. 4£ 

2 quarts sweet milk. 

1 pint cold water. 

2 even cups coarse corn meal — golden " flint " is best. 
J cup Graham flour. 

£ " sugar. 

Time — an hour and a half, slow oven. 
Scald the milk, pour it over the meal, and mash with a 
spoon till there are no lumps ; let the mixture stand five 
minutes. Then stir in the sugar, pour the batter into a 
farina-kettle, or tin bucket set in a pot of boiling water, and 
heat to scalding. Stir into this a batter made of the Gra- 
ham flour, and the pint of cold water ; mix all well together. 
Then pour the pudding into a dish slightly oiled, and set it in 
the oven, inside a dripping-pan with boiling water in it; cover 
and bake, stirring frequently the first half hour. Have a 
very moderate heat, and bake in all an hour and a half, or 
until the pudding thickens sufficiently. Serve warm (not 
hot), with mock cream or lemon sauce ; the latter is prefer- 
able. 

Baked Indian Pudding. — ( Excellent. )^p 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 cup corn meal— "flint/' if you have it. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — one hour, slow oven. 
Heat the milk to a boil, and stir in the corn meal ; if 
coarse "flint" is used, make the measure scant. Let the 
batter stand tfll cold, then beat the yolks and sugar to- 
gether, and stir them into it ; add also the whites whipped 
to a stiff froth, and beat hard. Pour it into a pudding- 
dish, set this inside a shallow pan of boiling water, and 
bake, covered, one hour, or until the pudding has' the proper 
consistency. Serve warm or cold, with cream, fruit, or 



PART HI.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 325 

lemon sauce ; or it is good without a dressing. Some make 
with less eggs — three eggs to two quarts of milk. 

Baked Indian Pudding. — (Good. ) 4£ 

1 quart sweet milk, boiling hot. 

1 cup cold " 

1 " coarse corn meal — " flint " preferred. 

^ " pure molasses — or pure syrup. 

Time — an hour and a half, slow oven. 

Pour the hot milk oyer the meal, and stir till there are no 
lumps. Then add the molasses (or syrup) with thorough 
beating, pour the batter into a. small but deep dish, and 
place in the oven within a dripping-pan containing boiling 
water. Cover and bake, stirring the pudding from the bot- 
tom several times the first half hour ; at the end of that 
time stir in the cup of cold milk — some use cold water — 
and bake in a slow oven an hour longer. Serve warm or 
cold, with or without a dressing of fruit juice, or lemon 
sauce ; the latter is best. 

If pure molasses or syrup is not to be had, try melted 
sugar; or you may get good maple molasses or sorghum, 
from an honest farmer. 

Indian Pudding with Fruit. — (Choice.)^ 

3 pints sweet milk. 

1 cup rather coarse com meal — golden " flint " is best. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

1£ cups raisins, seeded and finely chopped. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 
Time — one hour, moderate oven. 

Scald a pint of the milk, and wet the meal with it ; stir 



326 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

well, to prevent lumping. Let the mixture stand till luke- 
warm ; while it is cooling, make a batter with the flour and 
another pint of the cold milk, and when the scalded meal is 
cool enough stir the two batters together. Then heat the 
remaining pint to a boil, beat the yolks, whip in the sugar, 
and stir into these, little by little, the hot milk ; pour this 
custard into the mixed batter, add the whites whipped to a 
stiff froth, and beat very hard. Lastly, put in the fruit, 
previously dredged with a portion of the flour, and mix 
thoroughly. Pour all into a pudding-dish, set this in a 
shallow pan of boiling water, and bake, covered, in a mod- 
erate oven. Stir once from the bottom, as the pudding 
begins to thicken ; and continue the cooking about an hour. 
Serve with cream, fruit, or lemon sauce. Stewed or canned 
raspberries, mixed with currants, make a plain but good 
dressing. 

Seedless raisins, or currants, may be substituted for the 
sweet fruit in this pudding ; they cook sooner, and are 
very good. 

Steamed Indian Pudding. 4£ 

2 cups sour milk. 

1 cup " cream. 

2 cups coarse corn meal — golden " flint," if you have it. 
1 cup Graham flour, unsifted. 

^ " sugar. 

1| teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two hours. 

Meal that is made from white or yellow "flint" corn, and 
rather coarsely ground, is best in all steamed breads, or 
steamed Indian puddings. Mix together the meal, flour, 
milk, cream and sugar, stirring all to a smooth batter ; then 
add the dissolved soda, and beat thoroughly. , These corn 
meal puddings are always better for being well beaten. 
Pour immediately into an oiled pan or mould, filling it not 



PART III.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 327 

quite full ; then cover, and steam two hours, keeping the 
water at a fast boil ; the steamer should not be opened till 
the pudding is done. Serve with mock cream, fruit sauce, 
stewed plums, or lemon sauce ; or a soft custard may be 
used as a dressing. 



Steamed Indian Pudding. — (Excellent.)^: 

3 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

2 " coarse corn meal — " flint," if you can get it. 
1 cup Graham flour, unsifted. 

1 " currants — or raisins seeded and chopped. 
J " finely powdered beef suet. 

3 tablespoonfuls pure molasses — or pure syrup. 
1| teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — two hours and a half. 

Dredge the sweet fruit with a little of the flour; if cur- 
rants are used, pick them carefully over, and then wash and 
dry before dredging. Stir together the meal, flour, suet, 
milk and molasses (you may take maple or sorghum), and 
beat well; then add the dissolved soda, and beat very thor- 
oughly. Stir in lastly the fruit, mixing it evenly through 
the batter, and pour all into a round pan, well oiled ; you 
must not fill it quite full. Set this in a steamer, cover with 
an inverted pie-pan, and steam two hours and a half. Serve 
wami with fruit sauce, tart fruit, or lemon sauce; the latter 
makes an excellent dressing. 

This, and all steamed Indian puddings, may be warmed 
over, and served at the next meal, or the next day; dip the 
remnant quickly into cold water, lay it in a pie-pan with 
another turned over it, and then place in the oven long 
enough to get thoroughly hot, all through. It will be quite 
as good as at first. 



328 health in the household. [part iii. 

Rice Pudding. 4|= 

3 pints sweet milk. 
1 pint water. 

1 scant cup rice, picked over carefully and washed. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar — omit, if preferred. 
Time— two hours, very slow oven. 

Put into a pudding-dish the rice, milk, water and sugar, 
stir all together, and bake, covered, in a slow oven, two hours. 
Stir from the bottom several times until the pudding begins 
to thicken, and do not fail to keep the oven at a slow heat. 
It is better to set the dish inside a shallow pan with boiling 
water in it, while baking ; the pudding should be of a 
creamy consistency when done, and delicately browned on 
top. Serve lukewarm, with or without a dressing of fruit. 

This plain but excellent pudding is very good eaten cold; 
you may make it on Saturday, and have it cold for Sunday 
dinner. Served in this way, it must be quite milky when 
taken from the oven. If preferred, you can add a handful 
of raisins to the rice. 

Rice Pudding. 4£ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 pint water. 

•| cup rice, picked over carefully, and washed. 

2 even tablespoonfuls sugar. 
1 egg. 

Time — one hour, slow oven. 

Soak the rice in the water one hour; then set it on the 
stove with the water in which it soaked, and let it come 
slowly to a boil. Cook ten minutes, stirring once or twice, 
and remove from the fire. "When nearly cold, beat the egg 
and sugar together, add the rice with the water in which it 
boiled, and also the quart of milk. Having stirred all to- 
gether, pour the batter into an oiled pan, cover, and place 






PAET IIL] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 329 

in a moderate oven within a dripping-pan of boiling water; 
bake very slowly one hour, or till the pudding is thick and 
creamy in the center. Serve not too warm, without a 
dressing. 

If preferred, omit the sugar, and add a cup of sweet 
fruit, as seedless raisins or currants (the latter picked over 
and washed carefully), and bake as before ; the fruit must 
be soaked and heated with the rice, before baking. Or you 
may leave out the egg, and use more rice ; say two-thirds 
of a cup. 

Pudding of Cold Bice. 

3 cups sweet milk. 

2 " cold boiled rice. 

2 table spoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs. 

Time — one hour, slow oven. 
Mix the rice and milk, working out all the lumps ; beat 
the yolks and sugar together, and stir them in ; then add 
the whipped whites, and beat thoroughly. Pour the batter 
into a pudding-dish, set it in the oven, inside a pan of boil- 
ing water, and bake slowly one hour, or till the pudding is 
barely set; it must not begin to separate. Serve lukewarm, 
without a dressing. 

Cold samp (fine hominy), cracked wheat, or barley, may 
be used instead of rice. 

Manioca Pudding. 41= 
3 pints sweet milk. 
J cup manioca. 

1 " sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — 40 minutes, moderate oven. 

Manioca is much finer for puddings than tapioca; it is 
also more expensive, and consequently is in slight demand; 



330 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

only the larger grocers keep it. In making this pudding, 
mix the manioca in one quart of the milk, heat it in a farina- 
kettle, and stir almost constantly till it comes to a boil. 
Then lift from the fire, and stir in the rest of the milk; 
when the mixture is about cold, stir the sugar into the 
beaten yolks, and add them; add also the whipped whites, 
and beat well. Pour the custard into a pudding-dish, and 
set this inside a dripping-pan with boiling water in it; then 
cover, and bake in a moderate oven forty minutes, or until 
the pudding is of a creamy consistency. Serve warm or 
cold, with or without a dressing of fruit, or fruit juice. 
This pudding is very good with the eggs omitted. 

Tapioca Pudding.^ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 cup tapioca, washed and drained. 

^ " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — 45 minutes, moderate oven. 

Get, if you can, tapioca that is not too coarse; you will 
need to begin the soaking soon after breakfast; cover with 
cold water, and soak two hours — longer, if it is in large 
lumps. Then drain thoroughly, pour on the cold milk, and 
set the vessel containing it on the back of the stove, where 
its contents will warm slowly to blood heat; stir occasionally. 
An hour and a half before dinner beat the yolks and sugar 
together, and the whites by themselves ; stir all into the 
milk and ta,pioca, and bake, covered, inside a shallow pan of 
boiling water. Stir well from the bottom ten minutes after 
the pudding goes into the oven, and bake rather slowly, 
until it is of a creamy consistency ; it will require about 
forty-five minutes. Uncover toward the last, if the pud- 
ding is not sufficiently browned. Cool to lukewarm, and 
serve without a dressing. A plainer pudding is made by 



PART III.l SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 331 

taking equal parts milk and water, and using only one or 
two eggs. 

Much of the tapioca sold in the groceries, is in such great 
lumps that it is difficult to soak soft. Why it is manufac- 
tured in this way, is a question of interest, at least to the 
cook. Manioca, which is essentially the same thing as 
tapioca, is without a fault in this respect; it is in fine grains, 
easily dissolved, and is truly delightful for puddings ; but 
for some cause or other, its high price places it beyond the 
reach of most people, as an article of frequent use. There 
is a preparation of tapioca called the granulated, which is in 
little round lumps not much larger than grains of barley; 
it dissolves rather easily, but it is said to be badly adulter- 
ated, and therefore inferior to the ordinary article. 

Apple Tapioca Pudding. 4£ 

8 tart juicy apples, pared and cored. 

4 cup tapioca, washed and drained. 

^ " sugar. 

1 quart cold water. 

Juice of one lemon — if desired. 

Time — for baking, one hour ; good oven. 

Pour the cold water over the tapioca, and set it back on 
the stove to warm a little ; stir once in a while. Do this 
soon after breakfast, if the tapioca is in large lumps. Two 
hours before dinner, place where it will get thoroughly hot; 
stir often, and continue to heat and stir till the tapioca is 
soft, and almost clear. In the mean time have ready the 
apples, and arrange them, not too closely, in the bottom of 
a pudding-dish ; fill their centers with the sugar, squeeze 
into the latter the lemon juice, and then pour over the 
tapioca. Set the dish in a good oven, inside a dripping- 
pan with a little boiling water in it, and bake, covered, one 
hour, or until the apples are done. Serve nearly cold, with 



332 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

cream, fruit, or fruit juice ; stewed or canned raspberries^ 
blackberries, cherries, etc., make a good dressing ; and so 
does the mixed sauce. 

This pudding may if desired be made without the lemon, 
and less sugar used. Or you may use manioca instead of 
tapioca, which needs no soaking ; pour boiling water over ta 
dissolve it, and bake one hour. 

Lemon Tapioca Custard. — (Excellent.)^. 

1 pint sweet milk. 

1 quart cold water. 

f cup tapioca, washed and drained. 

f " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of two lemons. 

Soak the tapioca in the quart of cold water, keeping the 
vessel covered ; if the tapioca is pretty fine, three hours 
will suffice ; but if you have the common coarse kind, it 
will need five hours to soak. An hour and a half before 
dinner, heat the milk to a boil in a farina-kettle, or a tin 
bucket set in a pot of boiling water ; add to this the tapioca, 
and the water in which it soaked. Stir till the mixture 
boils ; then cook ten minutes, or until the tapioca is well 
dissolved, using the spoon constantly. Set back the kettle 
while you beat together the yolks, half the sugar, and the 
juice of one lemon ; stir into these a little of the hot mixt- 
ure, then more, and finally turn all together. Heat again 
to a boil, stirring meanwhile, and cook five minutes, or till 
the custard thickens ; then pour it into a dish, cover with a 
meringue made by beating together the whites, and the rest 
of the sugar and lemon, and brown slightly. Serve cold or 
lukewarm, without a dressing. 



PART III.j SELECTION OF PUDDMGo. 333 

Lemon Tapioca Pudding. — (Good.)ifc 

1 cup (scant) tapioca, washed and drained. 
-| " sugar. 

1 quart cold water — for soaking. 

2 eggs — whites of. 
Juice of two lemons. 

Time — f or cooking and browning, an hour and three- 
quarters. 

Put the tapioca to soak early in the morning ; before 
breakfast, if it is in large lumps ; set the pan containing it 
on the stove, where it will warm to blood heat but will not 
cook ; stir now and then. Two hours before dinner pour 
it into a farina-kettle, add half the lemon and half the 
sugar, mixing well, and set it where it will get thoroughly 
hot ; stir frequently. Cook an hour and a half, or till the 
tapioca is clear ; then pour it into a pudding-dish, beat to- 
gether the whites, and the rest of the lemon and sugar, and 
spread over the top. Place in the oven ten minutes, and 
brown slightly. Serve cold or nearly cold (the pudding 
will keep till the next day), with cream, fruit, or fruit juice; 
or it is very good without a dressing. 

Sago may be used, instead of tapioca ; it need not be 
soaked beforehand. 

Tapioca Pudding with Fruit. — (Choice.)^. 

1 cup tapioca, washed and drained. 

| " sugar. 

1 pint strawberries, raspberries, currants, or seeded 

cherries. 
1 quart cold water. 
Time — an hour and a half. 
Soak the tapioca in the water, as in the last recipe ; two 
hours before dinner stir in the sugar, and set it on the 
stove where it will heat thoroughly. Cook till clear ; then 



334 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

stir in the fruit, and continue the cooking five to eight 
minutes longer. Serve cold or nearly so, with cream or 
fruit ; or it may be eaten without a dressing. This and the 
preceding pudding make convenient dishes for warm 
weather, as they can be eaten several hours after they are 
made. 

Instead of the fruit, a cup of fruit juice may be substi- 
tuted ; this makes a truly delightful dessert; stir in the 
juice ten to fifteen minutes before the kettle is taken from 
the fire. The pudding may be eaten lukewarm, or it can be 
poured into cups wet with cold water, and moulded ; you 
can serve it for supper if you like, or the following day, 
with mock cream, fruit sauce, or cream and sugar. 

Another excellent method is to cook the tapioca till clear, 
sweetening as before ; when done, serve with fresh rasp- 
berries, adding cream and sugar. 

Sago Pudding. 

1 quart sweet milk. 

f cup sago. 

^ " sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — 45 minutes for baking, 
Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, or a tin bucket set in 
a pot of boiling water ; wash the sago in cold water, and 
drain well ; then stir it into the milk and heat half an hour, 
or till it has had time to swell ; use the spoon frequently. 
Remove from the fire, and when the mixture is half cold 
add the yolks and sugar, beaten together ; also the well- 
whipped whites, and stir thoroughly. Pour the pudding 
into a dish, set it inside a shallow pan of boiling water, and 
bake about three-quarters of an hour, or till of a creamy 
consistency. Stir from the bottom, five minutes after placing 
it in the oven. Serve nearly cold without dressing! or with 
a little juicy fruit, 



PART in.] SELECTION OF PUDDINGS. 335 

Sago Pudding with Fruit. 
1 quart boiling water. 
| cup sago, washed and drained. 



sugar. 



1 pint strawberries, raspberries, or seeded cherries. 

Time — 30 minutes. 
After washing, pour enough cold water over the sago to 
cover it, and let it soak an hour ; drain well. Then add the 
sugar and pour over the boiling water, stirring all the while 
to prevent lumping. Put the pudding into a farina-kettle 
and cook half an hour, stirring frequently. Then mix in 
the fruit, and cook three to five minutes ; strawberries need 
very little heating. Serve cold or lukewarm, with cream, 
fruit, or cream and sugar. 

Farina Pudding. — f Excellent. J # 

3 pints sweet milk. 

3 tablespoonfuls (scant) farina. 

\ cup sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — 50 minutes, slow oven. 
Heat the milk in a f arina-kettle, and when ready to boil 
stir in the grain rather slowly, to avoid lumping. Continue 
the stirring and cook ten minutes, or till the mixture 
thickens. Then set it off to cool ; beat the yolks and sugar 
together, and when the mush is nearly cold stir them in ; 
add also the whites whipped to a stiff froth, and beat thor- 
oughly. Pour the batter into a dish, set it in a dripping- 
pan of boiling water, and bake in a slow oven fifty minutes, 
or till the custard is set. Cool to lukewarm, and serve 
without a dressing. 

Green Corn Pudding. =£ 

1 quart sweet milk — new, if you have it. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 



336 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

12 ears of corn well filled, or three pints pulp. 
Time — an hour and a half, slow oven. 

Select perfect ears, well filled, but young and tender ; the 
" evergreen " is best ; if field corn is used, the white or 
yellow "flint" is excellent. Split the grains half their 
depth by drawing a sharp knife down the rows of corn, be- 
ginning at the larger end of the ear. Then with a dull 
knife scrape out the pulp ; this is done by scraping from 
the large to the small end of the cob ; if you draw the knife 
in the other direction, it tears out the grains, hulls and all. 
Beat the yolks and whites separately, the latter to a stiff 
froth ; stir these with the corn, and beat hard ; then add 
the milk, a little at a time, beating as you add it. When 
all is in, pour the batter into a well-oiled pudding-dish, and 
place in a dripping-pan of boiling water. Have a slow 
oven, and bake covered, an hour and a half ; stir once from 
the bottom, ten minutes after the dish is set in the oven. 
The pudding should be an inch and a half to two inches 
thick ; you must not hurry the baking ; it should be mod- 
erately browned on top, when done. Serve warm from the 
dish ; it is good enough eaten without butter, or other 



Green Corn Pudding.^ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 " grated corn. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — an hour and a quarter, moderate oven. 
Stir into the grated corn the whipped yolks, and beat 
well ; add a little of the milk, and the whites cut to a stiff 
froth, and beat again ; then stir in the rest of the milk, 
mixing thoroughly. Pour the batter into a pan, well oiled, 
set this within a shallow pan of boiling water, and bake in a 
moderate oven an hour and a quarter, or till the pudding 
thickens in the center. Serve without a dressing. 



PAKT in. 



OTHER PUDDINGS. 337 



A very good pudding may be made with half the milk, 
and the eggs omitted. 

OTHER PUDDINGS. 

Apple Pudding. — ( Without Eggs.)^ 

1 quart sweet milk. 

8 apples pared and cored, and not too tart. 

2 cups stale bread-crumbs. 
J cup sugar. 

Time — an hour and a quarter, slow oven. 
Soak the crumbs in the milk till soft ; then stir in the 
sugar, and pour the batter over and around the apples, 
which you have placed in the bottom of a pudding-dish, 
not too closely .together. Set the dish in a dripping-pan of 
boiling water, and bake an hour and a quarter in a slow 
oven ; cover till nearly done. If preferred, take sweet 
apples pared and cored, and cut each two-thirds through, 
but do not separate ; then arrange and bake as before, al- 
lowing a little longer time if the apples are not done. 
Serve with cold cream, or stewed raspberries ; or you may 
eat without sauce. 

Graham Apple Pudding.^ 
3 pints sweet milk. 
1\ " sifted Graham flour. 

1 quart finely chopped apples. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — one hour, rather slow oven. 

Mix the milk and flour to form a batter, and then stir in 
the beaten yolks, chopped apples, and whites cut to a stiff 
froth. Beat thoroughly, pout- into a pudding-dish well 
oiled, and bake one hour, or until the apples are done. 
Serve cold or lukewarm, with fruit sauce, or cream and 
sugar. 



338 health in the household. [part iii. 

Berry and Bread Pudding. 

1 quart sweet milk — new, if you have it 

1 " berries, seeded cherries, or other small fruits. 

1 pint stale bread-crumbs — home-made Graham is 
best. 

\ cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Pinch of finely pulverized soda in the milk. 

Time — 40 to 50 minutes, slow oven. 
Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, and bring it to a boil ; 
when you have beaten the yolks and sugar together, add 
the hot milk, a little at a time, stirring as you pour. Whip 
the whites to a stiff froth, and add a portion of the hot 
mixture to them, in the same cautious way ; then stir well 
together ; if properly managed, the eggs should not curdle. 
This done, fill a pudding-dish not quite full, with alternate 
layers of the bread-crumbs and ripe fruit, beginning and 
ending with the bread. When all is in, pour the hot cus- 
tard over the layers, saturating the whole, and let this stand 
fifteen to twenty minutes, or till the bread is thoroughly 
soaked. Set the dish, covered, in the oven, inside a drip- 
ping-pan containing boiling water, and bake very slowly 
forty to fifty minutes. Uncover and brown quickly at the 
end. Serve warm or cold, with thin cream. 

Blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, seeded cherries, 
or sliced peaches, may be used in making this pudding ; 
and if preferred, you may take less eggs. 

Huckleberry and Bread Pudding. 
1 quart sweet milk. 

1 pint dry bread-crumbs — good Graham loaf. 
1 " huckleberries. 
3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
•3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — 40 to 50 minutes, moderate oven. 



^AKT III.] OTHEK PUDDINGS. 339 

Heat the milk, and pour it over the bread; cool, and add 
the beaten yolks, the sugar, and the well-whipped whites. 
Then stir in the berries dredged with flour, pour the batter 
into a pudding-dish, and bake in a moderate oven within a 
pan of boiling water, forty to fifty minutes. Serve nearly 
or quite cold, with or without a dressing of cream. 

Steamed Apple Pudding. 

Take good tart apples, rich in flavor, pare, core and 
quarter them, or better, cut in eighths; then place about 
three layers deep, in a bake-dish. Add a spoonful of water, 
and cover with a light cream paste rolled a third of an inch 
thick, and made as per recipe already given; the pudding 
should not quite reach the top of the dish. Then turn over 
the latter an inverted plate or pie-pan, to keep the water 
out, and steam an hour and a half without uncovering the 
steamer. The water must be kept at a fast boil. Send to 
the table as soon as done, or the crust will become heavy; 
serve with mock cream, fruit sauce, or cream and sugar. 

Damson Plum Pudding. 

Line a deep pan well oiled, with a light cream paste, fill 
with damson plums picked over and washed, and cover with 
a good crust, pinching the edges securely together. The 
dough should be rolled to the thickness of nearly half an 
inch; and the top crust must not be pricked. After putting 
on the latter tie a thick cloth over (the corners turned back 
and pinned), leaving it loose enough to allow room to swell; 
then set in a pot of boning water, and cook two hours. 
Keep the pot closely covered, and the water at a fast boil; 
it must not reach the top of the pan. Or, if you have a 
steamer, you can make the pie in a round basin of granit- 
ized iron, lay a folded towel or napkin over it, and steam 
two hours without lifting the lid. Take out as soon as 
done, and serve with mock cream, or cream and sugar. 
23 



340 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, gooseberries 
(just beginning to ripen), or sliced apples or peaches, may 
be substituted for plums. With apples or peaches, the 
under crust may be omitted if desired. 

Apple Batter Pudding. — (Good.)^. 

Pare and core the apples (eight or ten will be enough), 
put them in a pan with a trine of water, and bake, covered, 
till they are nearly soft, but not broken; the apples should 
be rich in flavor, but not very tart. Then make a cream 
batter paste, as per recipe already given, pour it over them, 
and bake in a brisk oven about an hour. Send to the table 
as soon as done, and serve with or without a dressing of 
cream, or cream and sugar. 

Children's Rolly-Poly. 

Take a bit of light yeast dough, and knead it very thor- 
oughly; that made with a third or fourth part Graham flour 
is best. Then roll out a thin sheet, and cover with rasp- 
berries, blackberries, or other small fruit; sprinkle lightly 
with sugar, roll up closely, and pinch the ends securely to- 
gether. Wrap in a clean napkin, leaving plenty of room 
to swell, place in a covered tin basin, set the latter in the 
steamer, and steam two hours. Keep the water at a fast 
boil, and do not uncover till done. Serve with mock cream, 
or cream and sugar. 

Baked Batter Pudding.^ 

1 cup sweet mill., 
J " " cream. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

2 cups " white " 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate* 



PART in.] OTHER PUDDINGS. 341 

% teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
1 " cream-tartar. 

Time — one hour. 

Stir together the Graham and white flour, and the cream 
of tartar; then put all through the sieve, two or three times. 
Beat the yolks and sugar together, add the cream and milk, 
and stir in the flour; then add the dissolved soda, and the 
whites cut to a froth, and beat thoroughly. Pour the bat- 
ter into a dish well oiled, and place inside a dripping-pan 
with a trifle of boiling water in it; bake half an hour; then 
remove from the pan, and bake another half hour in the 
dry oven. Better test with a straw, and bake five minutes 
after it comes out clean; it will take about an hour in all. 
Serve as soon as done, with cream, fruit, or fruit juice. 

This pudding may be steamed, as follows: Pour the bat- 
ter into a tin basin well oiled, cover, and set in a steamer 
over a pot of boiling water. Steam an hour and a half 
without lifting the lid, then take out, and send straight to 
the table. 

Puff Pudding. 

2 cups sweet milk. 
1 cup " cream. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

2 cups " white " 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — 25 to 30 minutes, quick oven. 

Beat the yolks, add the milk and cream, and stir in the 
flour, Graham and white; when a smooth batter is formed, 
whip and add the whites, and beat hard. Then dip into 
cups, or hot gem-pans slightly oiled, and bake in a quick 
oven twenty-five to thirty minutes; brown nicely without 
scorching. Serve warm, with fruit, fruit sauce, or cream 
and su<?ar. 



34:2 health in the household. [part hi. 

Boiled Batter Pudding. 

2 cups sour milk — or sour cream. 
1^ " sifted Graham flour. 
2 " " white 

1 cup seedless raisins. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — an hour and a half. 

Dredge the fruit with a little of the flour, and beat the 
yolks and whites separately; then stir together the yolks, 
the milk, and the rest of the flour, to form a batter. Add 
the whipped whites and dissolved soda, and beat very thor- 
oughly. Last of all put in the fruit, stirring lightly, but 
mixing it in evenly. Wring the pudding-bag out of hot 
water, flour it well inside, and pour in the batter; then tie 
securely, leaving plenty of room to swell, drop into a pot 
of boiling water, and boil constantly an hour and a half. 
Add more water — always boiling hot — as it is needed; turn 
over now and then, and keep the pot closely covered be- 
tween times. When done, plunge the bag into a basin of 
cold water, and remove instantly; then turn the pudding 
out on a plate, and send directly to the table. Serve with 
cream, fruit, or fruit juice. 

This pudding may be steamed by pouring the batter into 
a basin well oiled, and placing it, covered, inside a steamer, 
over a pot of boiling water ; steam two hours without un- 
covering. Do not fill too full, as the pudding must have 
room to swell. 

Corn Custard Pudding. 4(= 

1 quart sweet milk. 
1 cup fine corn meal. 
\ cup sifted Graham flour. 
\ " sugar. 



PART III.] OTHER PUDDINGS. 343 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

£ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1 " cream-tartar. 

Time — 20 to 30 minutes, moderate oven. 

Heat the milk to a boil in a farina-kettle, if you have one. 
While doing this, sift the cream of tartar through the flour; 
as soon as the milk is hot stir the corn meal into it, and 
cook ten to fSteen minutes, stirring well from the bottom. 
Then pour the batter into a bowl to cool; when cold, add 
the yolks and sugar beaten together, and stir in the Gra- 
ham flour; then add the whipped whites and dissolved soda, 
and beat hard. Bake in deep gem-pans, well oiled; or you 
may pour the batter into a pudding-dish, place in a pan of 
boiling water, and bake twenty to thirty minutes, or until 
the custard is set. Serve warm or cold, with cream, fruit, 
or lemon sauce; or eat without a dressing. 

Boiled Indian Pudding. 

2 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 cup boiling water. 

2| cups coarse corn meal — " flint " preferred. 

1 cup Graham flour, unsifted. 

-f " pure molasses — or pure syrup. 

f " finely powdered beef suet. 

li teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two to three hours. 

Scald the meal with the cup of boiling water, and let it 
stand till you have powdered the suet, and worked it into 
the flour. Then add to the first mixture the milk and mo- 
lasses, beating them well together; stir in the flour, add the 
dissolved soda, and beat very thoroughly. Wring the pud- 
ding-bag out of hot water, flour it well inside, and pour in 
the batter; tie securely, leaving plenty of room to swell, and 
boil without stopping, from two to three hours — all of three, 



344 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

if there is time. Keep plenty of water in the pot (always 
adding it boiling), and turn the bag over frequently; the 
pot must be kept closely covered. If preferred you can boil 
in a covered mould, well oiled; the water must not reach 
the top of it. Send the pudding to the table as soon as 
done; cut it in slices, and serve with lemon sauce, fruit, or 
fruit sauce. A fine dressing is a spoonful of stewed or can- 
ned raspberries to each slice, and then a mock cream or soft 
custard poured over. 

If pure molasses or syrup can not be had, and your 
"country cousins" have failed to bring in the genuine 
maple, or sorghum, then try melting some granulated sugar 
in a little water. You may steam this pudding if preferred, 
instead of boiling. 

Steamed Indian Pudding. 

3 cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1 J " coarse corn meal — golden " flint " is best. 

1 cup Graham flour, unsifted. 

1 " currants, seedless raisins, chopped apples, dried 
cherries, or huckleberries. 

3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

1^ teaspoonfuls soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

Time — two hours. 
The fruit must be carefully picked over, washed and 
dried, and then dredged with a little of the Graham flour. 
Mix together the grains and milk, forming a smooth batter, 
then add the sugar and dissolved soda, and beat hard. Stir 
in the fruit lightly, pour the batter into a pan or mould well 
oiled, cover the latter, leaving room to swell, and steam two 
hours; keep the water at a fast boil, and do not lift the lid 
till the pudding is done. Serve warm, with cream, fruit, or 
lemon sauce; the latter is best. 

In making this pudding, almost any of the dried fruits 
may be used; even dried apples, carefully picked over and 






PART HI.] OTHER PUDDINGS. 345 

washed, cut in small bits, and stirred into the batter before 
steaming, make a fair substitute for other and more expen- 
sive fruits. 

Steamed Indian Pudding. 4£ 

2 cups sweet milk — or enough for soft batter. 

li " boiling water. 

1\ " coarse corn meal — " flint " is best. 

§ cup (unbolted) rye meal. 

1 " Graham flour, unsifted. 

\ " sugar — or pure molasses. 

1J cups raisins, seeded and chopped. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

2 teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 
Time — three to four hours. 

Dredge the fruit with a portion of the flour; then scald 
the corn meal with the boiling water, and let it stand till 
nearly cold. Mix the cream of tartar through the Graham 
flour, add this and the rye to the scalded corn meal, and 
then wet with the milk, stirring till a batter is formed that 
will pour readily. Add the sugar (or molasses) and dis- 
solved soda, and beat till light ; then stir in the dredged 
fruit. Pour the batter into an oiled pan or mould, leaving 
room to swell, cover, and set it in the steamer; steam three 
to four hours, and do not open till the pudding is done. 
Serve with stewed or canned fruit, fruit sauce, or lemon 
sauce; or it may be eaten with a soft custard. 

Strawberry Indian Pudding. 

1 cup sour milk. 

3 cups boiling water. 

2 " coarse com meal — yellow " flint " preferred, 
1 cup Graham flour, unsifted. 

1 quart strawberries. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 



346 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

1 egg, well beaten. 

1 teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 
Time — two hours. 

Scald the meal with the boiling water, and mash with a 
spoon till there are no lumps ; then add the sour milk, 
Graham flour, egg and sugar, and stir well ; stir in also the 
dissolved soda, and beat thoroughly. Add lastly the fruit, 
mixing it lightly through the batter ; pour into a well-oiled 
pan, filling it not nearly full, cover securely to keep out 
the moisture, and place in a steamer over a pot of boiling 
water. Steam two hours without uncovering, and keep the 
water at a fast boil. The pudding must not stand after it 
is mixed. Serve warm or cold, with mock cream, or cream 
and sugar. If a piece is left over, it may be dipped into 
cold water, and laid, covered, in a hot oven till it is well 
heated through. 

Kaspberries, seeded cherries, or chopped apples may be 
used instead of strawberries. 

Huckleberry Indian Pudding. 

3 cups sweet milk — or enough for a soft batter. 

2 " coarse corn meal — golden " flint " is best. 
1 cup "middlings." 

1 quart huckleberries. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
Time — two hours and a half. 

Mix the above, stirring the fruit in lightly at the last, and 
forming a batter that will pour readily ; the berries should 
be well dredged with flour. Oil a round pudding-dish, 
pour in the batter, cover, and steam two hours and a half 
without lifting the lid of the steamer. Serve with whipped 
cream, or cream and sugar. 






part m.] other puddings. 347 

Rice and Raisin Pudding. 
3 pints sweet milk. 
1 quart water. 
1 cup rice, picked over carefully, and washed. 

1 " raisins, " 

Time — two hours, slow oven. 

Put the rice and raisins into the water, add half the 
milk, and set the dish on the back of the stove where it will 
heat slowly to a boil ; cook ten minutes, and take from the 
fire. Add the rest of the milk, pour the pudding into a 
dish, and place it inside a shallow pan of boiling water ; bake, 
covered, in a slow oven two hours, or till the pudding thickens. 
Stir from the bottom once or twice, the first half hour ; 
when done it should be thick and creamy, rather than firm. 
Serve cold or lukewarm without a dressing, or with juicy 
fruit, stewed or canned. 

If you have not the raisins, you may take currants in- 
stead ; or you can leave out the fruit, and add a third of a 
cup of sugar. 

Rice and Berry Pudding. 

2 cups sweet milk. 

2 " cold rice, samp or barley. 

2 " raspberries, blackberries, seeded cherries, or 

chopped apples. 
J cup sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — one hour, slow oven. 

Soften the cold rice (or other grain) with the milk, work- 
ing out all the lumps ; then stir in the yolks and sugar 
beaten together, and also the well-whipped whites. Add 
the fruit, mixing it in lightly ; pour the batter into a dish, 
set in a dripping-pan of boiling water, and bake slowly one 
hour. Serve cold or lukewarm, with or without a dressing 
of cream. 



348 health in the household. [part iii. 

Rice and Apple Pudding. 4(= 
3 quarts sliced apples, rather tart. 
1 cup rice, picked over carefully, and washed. 

1 " cold water. 

2 cups boiling water. 

Time — two hours, slow oven. 
Cover the bottom of a pudding-dish with a layer of the 
sliced apples, and sprinkle over them a portion of the rice ; 
then more apples, then rice. Continue till they are all used, 
making the last layer apples. Some like the addition of a 
cup of currants, or seedless raisins, sprinkled between the 
layers. Pour over the whole a cup of cold water, and ' set 
the dish, covered, in the oven, within a dripping-pan con- 
taining boiling water ; bake slowly, one hour. At the end 
of that time, pour over it a cup of boiling water, and bake 
half an hour ; then add another cup of water, boiling hot, 
and bake another half hour. Serve lukewarm, with cream, 
fruit, or fruit sauce. 

Manioca Pudding. — ( With Fruit) 
\ cup manioca. 
\ " sugar. 
1^ pints strawberries, raspberries, huckleberries, sliced 

peaches, or sliced apples. 
1 quart boiling water. 
Time — one hour, moderate oven. 
Pour the boiling water over the manioca, stirring mean- 
while to prevent lumping ; then stir in the fruit and sugar, 
and bake in an even oven one hour, or until clear. If 
small fruits are used in the making, serve the pudding with 
cream and sugar ; if sliced apples or peaches, serve with 
fruit (stewed or canned), or fruit juice — or, you may take 
cream and sugar. It may be eaten cold or warm. 

In making this pudding, fruit juice is better than the 
berries ; a cupful would be enough. 



PART III.] OTHER PUDDINGS. 349 1 

Tapioca Pudding. — ( With Raisins.)^ 

3 pints sweet milk. 

1 cup tapioca, washed and drained. 

1 " raisins, seeded and chopped. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Time — an hour and ten minutes, moderate oven. 
Soak the tapioca in the cold milk one to two hours ; then 
turn it into a farina-kettle and bring to a boil, stirring fre- 
quently. As soon as it is soft throughout, set it off to 
cool ; beat the yolks and sugar together, and when the 
tapioca-milk is nearly cold stir them in. Then add the 
well-whipped whites, and the raisins dredged with a little 
flour, and beat thoroughly. Pour the batter into a pudding- 
dish, set this in a dripping-pan with boiling water in it, and 
bake, covered, an hour and ten minutes. The oven should 
be moderate ; and if the pudding is not already browned, 
uncover ten minutf s at the last. Serve nearly cold, with or 
without a dressing of fruit, or fruit juice. 

Apple Tapioca Pudding. =j£ 

12 apples pared and cored, and not very tart. 

1 cup tapioca. 

J " raisins, seeded and chopped. 

J " currants, picked over carefully, and washed. 

| " sugar. 

3 pints cold water. 

Juice of one lemon, or half a cup of currant juice. 

Time — an hour and a quarter, good oven. 
Wash the tapioca, and after draining pour the cold water 
over it ; warm gradually to blood heat, stirring now and 
then. Continue the soaking and warming three hours, or 
until the tapioca is soft ; then increase the heat and cook 
till clear, or nearly so. Arrange the apples, pared and cored, 



350 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

in a pudding-dish, without crowding them ; fill their centers 
with the sweet fruit, and saturate the latter with the lemon 
(or currant) juice. Then pour over the tapioca, and bake, 
covered, an hour and a quarter in a pretty hot oven ; the 
dish should be set in a shallow pan with boiling water in it. 
Serve cold or lukewarm, with cream, fruit, or fruit juice — 
/or with a mixed sauce of rasj)berries and cream ; the rasp- 
berries may be fresh, stewed or canned. 

Apple Tapioca Pudding.^ 

3 quarts sliced apples, tart. 

2 " cold water — for soaking. 

2 cups tapioca, washed and drained. 

Time — three hours, slow oven. 
Pour the water over the tapioca, and set it where it will 
get slightly warm ; let it soak three to four hours, and then 
drain off all the water. Wash the sliced apples, and while 
they are still wet put a layer of them into the pudding-dish; 
then sprinkle over these a portion of the tapioca, and repeat 
the process till the dish is full, making the last layer apples. 
Cover closely, and bake in rather a slow oven about three 
hours ; when done, the whole mass should be in a jelly. 
Serve cold or lukewarm, with fruit juice, fruit sauce, or 
cream and sugar. 

Sliced or canned peaches may be used instead of apples ; 
and they make a pudding equally good. 

Sago and Apple Pudding. 
3 pints boiling water. 
12 tart apples, pared and cored. 
1 cup sago. 

J " raisins, seeded and chopped. 
x <( currants, picked over carefully, and washed. 
\ " sugar. 
Juice of one lemon. 
Time — an hour and a half. 



PART in.] OTHER PUDDINGS. 351 

Wash the sago, cover with cold water, and soak one hour; 
then drain well. Fill the centers of the apples with the 
sweet fruit, and place them in the bottom of a pudding- 
dish. Then dissolve the sago by pouring the boiling water 
over it, and stirring constantly to prevent lumping ; stir in 
the lemon and sugar, and pour it over the apples. Set the 
dish in a moderate oven, within a dripping-pan of boiling 
water, and bake, covered, an hour and a half. Serve nearly 
cold with cream and sugar, fruit, or fruit juice. 

Granula Pudding. 

3 pints sweet milk. 

1 cup granula. 

3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Time — one hour, slow oven. 

Granula is made by heating bits of Graham bread in the 
oven till brittle, then pounding or breaking them in small 
pieces, and grinding in a hand-mill. These are more 
properly, hygienic "rusk crumbs"; they may be soaked in 
milk half an hour, and then eaten. Sometimes they are 
used for puddings ; a very good one is made with the above 
ingredients, as follows : 

Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, and bring to a boil ; 
then take it from the fire, stir in the granula, and soak till 
the mixture is nearly cold. Beat the yolks and sugar to- 
gether, and stir them in; then the well- whipped whites; set 
the dish in a slow oven, and bake one hour, or till the pud- 
ding is firm in the center; cover the top while baking. 
Serve lukewarm, without sauce. 

Cracked Wheat Pudding. 

2 cups sweet milk. 

2 " cold cracked wheat. 



352 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

1 cup seeded cherries — or red or black raspberries. 
J " sugar. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separatee 
Time — one hour, slow oven. 

Mix together the milk, fruit and wheat, add the yolks and 
sugar beaten together, and also the whipped whites ; stir 
thoroughly, pour into a dish, and place covered, inside a 
dripping-pan with boiling water in it. Have rather a slow 
oven, and bake about an hour. Serve cold or lukewarm, 
with mock cream or fruit sauce; or the pudding may be 
eaten without a dressing. 

Canned cherries with the juice drained off, may be used 
instead of raw fruit; and cold rice, samp or barley, may 
take the place of cracked wheat 

Irish Potato Pudding. 4f: 

3 cups sweet milk — nsw ia best. 

J cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

8 potatoes, medium size. 

Juice of one lemon. 

Time — 40 minutes, slow oven. 
Wash, peel and boil the potatoes, taking from the fire the 
moment a fork will go through them easily ; drain off all 
the water, and mash fine. Then add the muk r stir the po- 
tato well into it, and rub through a colandev. Beat the 
yolks, lemon and sugar together, and stir them in : add also 
the whites whipped to a stiff froth, and stir thoroughly. 
Pour the batter into a pudding-dish, well oiled, set it within 
a shallow pan of boiling water, and bake in a slow oven 
forty minutes. Serve nearly cold, without a dressing. 

Sweet Potato Pudding. 
3 cups sweet milk — new, if you have it. 
3 " " potato, finely mashed. 



PART III.J PLAIN DESSERTS. 353 

J cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Juice of one lemon. 

Time — ±0 minutes, slow oven. 

Select good dry sweet potatoes, and steam or boil till a 
fork will go through them easily. Then remove the skins, 
and trim off any defective spots, or stringy ends. Mash 
fine, mix with the milk, and put through a colander to re- 
move any lumps, or fibrous portions. Then beat the yolks, 
lemon and sugar together, and stir them in ; add the whites 
cut to a stiff froth, and beat thoroughly. Pour into a pud- 
ding-dish, slightly oiled, place in a shallow pan of boiling- 
water, and bake slowly forty minutes. Serve cold, or luke- 
warm, without a dressing. 



PLAIN DESSERTS. 

The following plain desserts are most of them mushes, 
or simple fruit preparations, that may be served with a 
dressing of stewed fruit, fruit juice, or cream and sugar ; 
or instead of the latter, whipped cream flavored with fruit 
may be used. They will be found convenient, both on ac- 
count of their simplicity, and the readiness with which they 
can be prepared ; and most of them can be served cold, as 
well as warm. 

Dried Fruit Pudding. 

2 cups sweet milk. 

2 " cold water. 

2 " stale bread-crumbs, finely grated. 

2 " dried fruit — cherries, peaches, apples, etc. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

Time — an hour and a half, slow oven. 

Cook the fruit in very little water till nearly done, but 
not broken to pieces ; then set it off to cool. In the mean 



354 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [ PART m « 

time, soak the crumbs in the milk and water ; when the 
bread is soft turn all together, add the sugar, and stir 
lightly. Pour the batter into a deep dish, cover, set within 
a shallow pan of boiling water, and bake in a very slow 
oven an hour and a half. For double the quantity, bake 
twenty to thirty minutes longer. Serve with juicy fruit, or 
with cream ; the pudding may be eaten cold or warm. 

Brown Betty. 4(= 
3 pints tart, juicy apples, chopped. 
3 cups grated bread-crumbs, stale. 

1 cup seedless raisins — if desired. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
Juice of one lemon. 

Time — one hour, rather slow oven. 
Oil the pudding-dish, and put into it a layer of the apples, 
about an inch thick ; then add a light sprinkle of sugar, a 
portion of the raisins, and some of the lemon juice. Fol- 
low with a layer of crumbs — good home-made Graham loaf, 
if you have it — half an inch thick ; then another of apples, 
twice the thickness. Continue in the same order until the 
dish is full, ending with a very thin layer of fine crumbs. 
If the apples are not pretty juicy, pour a third of a cup of 
water over the pudding before baking. Cover the dish, 
place inside a dripping-pan with boiling water in it, and 
bake slowly, at least an hour ; with the raisins, a little 
longer would be better. Uncover at the end, and brown 
quickly. Serve lukewarm, with or without a dressing of 
cream, or cream and sugar. Strawberries, raspberries, 
seeded cherries, or other small fruits, may be used instead 
of apples. The lemon can be omitted, if desired. 

Child's Fruit Pudding. 
1 quart sweet milk — new, if you have it. 
I " fine bread-crumbs, stale. 



PART HI.] PLAIN DESSEETS. 355 

2 quarts berries, cherries, or other ripe fruit. 

1 to 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar, according to tartness of 

fruit. 
Pinch of soda, finely pulverized, in the milk. 
Time — 50 minutes, slow oven. 

Bring the milk to a boil ; then fill a pudding-dish with 
alternate layers of crumbs and fruit, beginning and ending 
with the crumbs. Sprinkle each layer of fruit lightly with 
the sugar ; or if fully ripe and not very tart, the sugar may 
be left out. The dish must not be too full ; pour the hot 
milk over the pudding, cover closely, and bake in a slow 
oven within a shallow pan of boiling water ; it will require 
about fifty minutes. Serve warm or lukewarm, with mock 
cream, fruit sauce, or cream and sugar. 

Instead of small fruits, tart apples finely sliced or chopped 
may be used, and the pudding baked all of an hour. 

Bread and Fruit Dessert. 

Fill a pudding-dish with alternate layers of thinly sliced 
bread and stewed fruit, as raspberries or blackberries ; the 
fruit should be boiling hot. If the bread is slightly toasted, 
it is an improvement ; home-made Graham loaf is best. 
Before putting in the fruit, drain off most of the juice into 
a separate bowl ; then place the layers of bread in the dish, 
spreading each with the fruit, and when all is in pour the 
hot juice over. Cover with a plate, and set in a cool place 
till time to serve ; in cold weather, it is best to warm the 
dessert through in the oven, before sending to the table. 
It may be eaten with or without a dressing of mock cream, 
stewed fruit, or cream and sugar. 

This is a convenient dish in hot weather, for dinner or 
lunch, as it requires little or no cooking in preparing it. 

24 



356 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 



Boiled Suet Pudding. 

1J cups sour milk — or buttermilk. 

1£ " sifted Graham Hour. 

2 " " white 

| cup beef suet, finely powdered. 

1 (scant) teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water., 

Time — an hour and a half. 
Make a batter of the milk and flour, stir in the suet, add 
the dissolved soda, and beat well. Then pour it into a 
floured bag, or an oiled mould with closely fitting cover, 
leave plenty of room to swell, and boil an hour and a half 
without stopping. Or you may pour the batter into a basin 
well oiled, cover with an inverted pie-pan, and set in a 
steamer ; steam two hours, keeping the water at a fast boil, 
and the steamer tightly closed. Serve as soon as done, with 
lemon sauce, or cream and sugar. 

Suet Dumplings. 
1 cup sweet milk. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

2 cups " white " 

| cup beef suet, finely powdered. 

| teaspoonful soda. 

1J teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 

Time — 15 minutes. 
Turn the Graham and white flour together, and sift the 
soda and cream of tartar through it several times; these 
must be finely pulverized. Then rub the powdered suet 
through the flour very thoroughly, and wet with the milk to 
form a moderately stiff paste; knead as little as possible. 
Pinch off the dough in small bits, drop these into a pot of 
boiling water, and boil rapidly fifteen minutes ; keep the 
pot closely covered. Serve immediately, with lemon sauce, 
or cream and sugar. 



part iii.] plain desserts. 357 

Rice and Apple Pudding. 
Take cold boiled rice, well moulded, and cut it in slices 
half an inch thick; put into a pudding-dish a layer of the 
rice, and one of equal thickness of grated or stewed apples. 
Repeat these until the dish is full, ending with a thin layer 
of the apples; then set the dish into another containing 
boiling water, and bake covered, in a moderate oven, one 
hour. Serve warm with cream and sugar, stewed fruit, or 
fruit sauce. The layers may be made with rice and raspber- 
ries, seeded cherries, or other small fruits, which if tart, 
may be lightly sprinkled with sugar. 

Frumenty. 

This harvest dish, sometimes called "furmity," is made 
by taking the whole wheat newly cut, and rubbed or 
threshed out, and boiling it in water till soft. The recipe, 
which is an " old country " one, taken from a British jour- 
nal on Dietetics, is as follows : " To cook it (the wheat) put 
it on in cold water, let it come to a boil, and then stew 
gently till every grain bursts open like a little mealy po- 
tato.'' 

It will require several hours' steaming or boiling; and the 
wheat should be as new and tender as possible. The best 
plan is to start it in plenty of cold water — say one part 
wheat and four or five parts water — and cook in a farina- 
kettle ; this saves the trouble of stirring, and prevents stick- 
ing. When done, you can stir in a little cream or milk, if 
you like, and simmer five minutes; some add sugar and a 
beaten egg, along with the milk, — though that is a depart- 
ure from the original method. This dish is said by those 
who have eaten it, to be delicious. 

Farina Mush.=£ 
To a quart of boiling water allow half a cup of farina ; 
add it very slowly, and stir well to prevent lumping. . Cook 



358 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

ten to fifteen minutes, or till the mush thickens, stirring 
constantly; then pour in a third of a cup of cream, and cook 
two minutes longer, using the spoon till done. Serve warm 
with cream, fruit, or fruit juice ; stewed raspberries (or 
raspberries and currants mixed), make a good dressing ; so 
do stewed cherries. 

Farina Mush.^ji 

Heat a quart of water to a boil in a farina-kettle, and stir 
in two-thirds of a cup of farina; cook fifteen minutes, stir- 
ring almost constantly. Then add a pint of milk (new, if 
you have it), and cook five minutes longer, stirring once or 
twice. Serve the same as the last. 

Graham Pudding. — ( With Fruit.) 

Make a mush with Graham flour, cooking over a moder- 
ate fire twenty minutes; then stir in fresh clean dates — 
being careful not to break the fruit — let the mixture heat 
two minutes, and pour it into cups or moulds dipped in 
cold water; if into cups, fill half or two-thirds full. When 
moulded turn out on a plate, and serve with cold cream, or 
stewed fruit. 

Minute Pudding. 

1 quart sweet milk. 

1 " water. 

1 cup sifted Graham flour. 

| " " white 

Time — 15 to 20 minutes. 

The " minute " pudding, so called, is a misnomer, as it 
can not be cooked in sixty seconds. Turn the milk and 
water into a farina-kettle, and heat to a boil; then stir in 
first (very slowly), the Graham flour, as it is less liable to 
lump. Follow with the white flour, a little at a time, and 
cook fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring as little and as 



PART III. 



PLAIN DESSERTS. 359 



lightly as possible; keep the kettle covered between times. 
As soon as done lift from the fire, but leave the pudding 
three to five minutes with the hot water around it, before 
taking it up. If you have no farina-kettle, you may make 
in a stone or earthen crock set on top of the stove, and 
cook ten minutes, stirring lightly two or three times. Take 
from the fire a few moments before dishing for the table. 
Serve lukewarm, with cream, fruit, or fruit juice — or if you 
have it, with strawberry cream. 

If you make of " best Akron " flour, use all Graham to 
thicken. 

Blackberry Mush. 4^= 

2 quarts blackberries. 
H pints water. 
1 cup sifted Graham flour. 
1 " " white 
Time — about 20 minutes. 

Put the berries and water into a porcelain kettle, and 
bring to a boil ; heat slowly five minutes. Then thicken 
with the Graham flour, taking care that there are no lumps; 
stir in also the white flour, cover the kettle closely, and set 
it where the mush will continue to cook, but will not scorch. 
Let it remain about ten minutes, stirring once or twice ; 
then set it back on the stove, and in a few minutes pour 
into a mould to cool; dip the latter into cold water before 
filling it. Serve with mock cream, or cream and sugar. 

If preferred, thicken with farina or corn-starch (using 
nearly a cupful), and cook as before. 

Dumplings. 4£ 

For fruit dumplings, see Part II., under Pastries. They 
may be served with or without a dressing of cream, or 
cream and sugar. 



360 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

PUDDING SAUCES, CREAMS, Etc. 

The pudding sauces that are here given, are all of the 
plain kind, properly so called; no wines, no brandies, no 
spices, no " flavoring extracts," no butter, and only a mini- 
mum quantity of sugar. After rejecting all these, we still 
have left every variety of choice fruit, with the addition of 
sweet cream; add to these a little sugar and lemon, a trifle 
of corn-starch or flour, and an egg or two, and there is no 
end to the dressings that can be made. Really, a pudding 
that needs pungent spices, salty grease (butter), " quantities 
of sugar," and alcoholic spirits to make it palatable, had 
better be let alone. 

The raspberry and other creams that follow these sauces, 
may if preferred, be used as a dressing for puddings, 
mushes, moulded grains, etc., instead of plain cream and 
sugar. 

Sweet Cream. 

The sauce needing least preparation, though by no means 
the least palatable, is good sweet cream, with or without the 
addition of sugar; in cities, however, this is not always 
easy to get. If sweetened, two tablespoonfuls of sugar to 
a pint of cream, is sufficient; a better way, however, is to 
serve the sugar separately, and then pass the cold cream, 
unsweetened. 

Mock Cream. 4}= 

1 pint good sweet milk — new, if you have it. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 even tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Heat the milk to scalding, in a farina-kettle; stir in the 

sugar, and the corn-starch wet with a little cold milk; bring 

just to a boil, stirring constantly; then set the kettle up 

where the mixture will keep hot without boiling. Have 



PART III.] PUDDING SAUCES, CREAMS, ETC. 361 

ready the whipped whites, add a little of the hot milk, and 
beat well as you pour it in; then add more in the same way, 
and finally turn all together. Pour the whole back into the 
farina-kettle, return to the fire, and stir till it thickens to 
the consistency of cream. Serve cold or lukewarm. 

If preferred, you may use one egg, yolk and white, in- 
stead of the whites of two. 

Soft Custard. 4£ 
3 cups good rich milk. 
3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
2 teaspoonfuls white flour. 

1 egg- 
Juice of half a lemon. 

Wet the flour to a smooth paste with a little of the cold 
milk; then thin it by stirring in more milk, say one cup; 
put this into a farina-kettle and heat almost to boiling, 
using the spoon every moment. Add the rest of the milk, 
and heat again till ready to boil, but no more; stir well, and 
set it off. Then beat the egg, lemon and sugar together, 
and pour over these the hot milk, a little at a time, mixing- 
well. Keturn the custard to the kettle, and boil till it thick- 
ens, stirring constantly; then remove from the fire. Let it 
cool to lukewarm before using. 

If a thicker dressing is wanted, take two eggs instead of 
one; and when you have stirred the flour into the milk and 
heated it to boiling, lift off the kettle; then beat together 
the yolks, lemon and sugar, and proceed as before. Stir in 
the whites as soon as you take the custard from the fire. 

Lemon Sauce. =f£ 
1 pint boiling water. 
1 dessert spoonful corn-starch. 
| cup sugar. 
Juice of two lemons. 



362 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Pour the boiling water into a small porcelain kettle, and 
set it over the fire; wet the corn-starch to a smooth paste 
with a little cold water, and stir it in; cook five minutes, or 
till the mixture thickens. Then squeeze the lemon juice 
into the sugar, and stir it in also; boil one minute, stirring 
constantly, and take from the fire. Leave the sauce with 
the hot water around it, ten minutes; then cool to blood 
heat before sending to the table. This plain but excellent 
sauce is quickly and easily made, and may be used cold or 
warm. It should be about as thick as cream. 

In making lemon sauce, use always a porcelain or granit- 
ized iron kettle; by no means brass, tin, or glazed ware, as 
lemon corrodes it. 

Fruit Sauce. 

1 quart fruit juice — unsweetened. 

2 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 

3 to 4 tablespoonfuls sugar, according to acidity of 

fruit. 

Prepare the fruit juice as per recipes given in Part II., 
Fruits and Fruit Juices, leaving out the sugar; then put it 
into a porcelain kettle, sweeten, and heat to a boil. Stir in 
the corn-starch wet with a little cold water, boil gently, 
stirring constantly, and cook ten minutes, or till the mix- 
ture thickens; it must not taste raw. Send to the table 
cold or lukewarm. 

Another way, hardly as good, is the following: Take one 
pint of milk and one of fruit juice; sweeten the latter while 
hot (two tablespoonfuls of sugar to a pint of the juice is 
ample), then heat and thicken the milk, stir in the juice, 
and cook as before. 

The juices used in this sauce may be prepared in sum- 
mer, and put into glass cans for winter; the best fruits for 
this purpose, are raspberries, strawberries, and currants. 
In stewing the fruit preparatory to straining and canning, 



PART in.] PUDDING SAUCES, CREAMS, ETC. 363 

cook just long enough to heat the mass thoroughly. Then 
put it through, an earthen colander (a tin one discolors the 
liquid), or squeeze through a cloth — a coarse linen, or 
cheese-cloth, if you have it. Heat again to a boil, and put 
the juice into the cans. 

Mixed Sauce. 

Many plain puddings are excellent served with a mixed 
dressing, as follows: Over the slice of pudding served to 
each person, put a spoonful of stewed (or canned) rasp- 
berries, strawberries, or other fruit, and then add to it a 
little cold cream, mock cream, or soft custard. This makes 
a more wholesome dressing than the custard alone, and the 
fruit imparts an agreeable flavor. 

Dressing of Fruit. 

A very good dressing, and one that is well suited to some 
of the plainer puddings, is simple stewed or canned fruit, 
or fruit juice, sweetened if tart, with a little sugar. Straw- 
berries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, plums, peaches, 
or apricots, are excellent used in this way; and they are far 
more wholesome than even the " plain sauces," made with 
milk, eggs, sugar, corn-starch, etc., to say nothing of the 
wine, brandy, butter, bitter almonds, etc., etc., that so often 
find their way into these dressings. 

Whipped Cream. 

1 pint thick sweet cream. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of; some use but one. 

Set the cream on ice (or in the refrigerator) until it is 
thoroughly chilled; you may put the eggs also in the ice- 
chest till cold. Then beat the whites, add the cream with 
the sugar stirred into it, and whip with an egg-beater, or 



364 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART PH.. 

whip-churn, until a froth forms on top. If you can spare 
the time, lay the latter on a sieve as it rises, and return to 
the bowl or churn the cream that drips through. When no 
more will rise, put the cream in a glass dish, and pile the 
froth on top. Some think it best to sweeten and whip the 
cream by itself, adding the beaten whites at the last, or 
after the cream is partly whipped; you can try it. 

This is a fine dressing, either for puddings or fruit; place 
the pudding, berries or other fruit in the center of a glass 
dish, and surround with the cream. Or if preferred, serve 
the fruit separately, and pass the cream afterward. 

Snow Cream. 

Prepare and whip the cream as directed in the last 
recipe — not in July, but during the "cold and stormy 
months"; then stir in newly fallen snow that is light and 
feathery, and you have " ice-cream," or rather, snow-cveam., 
ready-made. 

Strawberry Cream.— {CJhoice.)^ 

1 pint sweet cream. 

1 " ripe strawberries — caps removed. 
| cup sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Sprinkle over the berries about half the sugar, and then 
chop moderately with a silver knife— or you may partly 
crush them with a spoon. Set them in a cool place for an 
hour, then strain through a clean linen cloth, expressing all 
the juice, and stir in the rest of the sugar. If you have not a 
whip-churn, put the cream into a small pitcher (one that holds 
two or three pints), as that is most convenient to whip in. 
Then put the eggs, cream, and fruit juice all in the ice- 
chest, and let them remain till chilled. When the cream is 
thoroughly cold, set the pitcher into a basin of ice-water, 
and whip with an egg-beater till the froth begins to rise ; 



PART in.] PUDDING SAUCES, CREAMS, ETC. 365 

then add the cold juice, and whip again. Let an assistant 
beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth ; this should be 
done in a cold room ; add these to the strawberry cream, 
and continue the whipping till no more froth will rise. It 
should be served as soon as possible, after it is prepared. 

In winter, when strawberries are out of the question, use 
strawberry or other fruit syrup, and omit the sugar. To a 
pint of whipped cream, add two or three tablespoonfuls of 
the syrup, and whip again ; then beat in the whites cut to a 
stiff froth, and serve. 

Currant Cream. 4£ 

Wash the currants, drain well, and strip from the stems. 
Then make the same as the last, only use a trifle more 
sugar ; and when you have partly whipped the cream, stir 
in the currant juice, a little at a time, for fear of curdling. 
Have all the ingredients very cold, and serve as soon as 
possible after the cream is made. 

Raspberry Cream. 4£ 
1 pint sweet cream. 

1 " raspberries, red or black. 
J cup sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Put half the sugar over the berries, partly crush them, 
and after they have stood an hour strain through a clean 
thin cloth. Add the rest of the sugar, and set the juice in 
the ice-chest, along with the cream and eggs ; when they 
are all thoroughly chilled, beat the whites, add them to the 
cream, and whip (in a small pitcher) with an egg-beater. 
You may add the fruit juice in the start, or after you have 
partly whipped the cream. When no more froth will rise., 
send it to the table. 

If red raspberries are used, take a little more sugar ; two- 
thirds of a cup will be enough. 



366 health in the household. [part iii. 

Raspberry and Currant Cream. 4£ 
1 pint sweet cream. 

1 cup currants, stripped from the stem. 
3 cups raspberries, red or black. 

| cup sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Mix the raspberries and currants together, and make the 
same as the last ; let the cream, eggs, and juice, all be as 
cold as possible ; and use a whip-churn, if you have one. 

Blackberry and Other Creams. 
Blackberry cream is made like raspberry ; and huckle- 
berry cream the same. Cherries, if carefully picked over 
and seeded, may also be used, the very acid varieties re- 
quiring more sugar — say three-fourths of a cup to a pint of 
seeded fruit. 

Lemon Cream. 

1 pint sweet cream, 
j cup sugar. 
Juice of one lemon. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Put the cream, lemon and eggs into the ice-chest till they 
are very cold ; then beat the whites, add them to the cream, 
and whip well together. When about half done whipping, 
beat in the lemon juice (sweetened with the sugar), a little 
at a time, for fear of curdling the mi]k ; and when done, 
serve immediately. In this and other prepared creams, 
condensed milk diluted with two or three times as much 
water, is often used instead of ordinary cream. 

Orange Cream. 
Select oranges of fine flavor, and not too ripe ; then make 
the same as lemon cream, using less sugar by about one- 
third. Take two oranges to a pint of cream. 



pakt m.] pudding sauces, creams, etc. 367 

Pine- Apple Cream. 

1 pint sweet cream. 

1 ripe pine-apple. 
§ cup sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

Peel the pine-apple, cut it in very thin slices, and sprinkle 
the sugar between them. Set these, covered, in a cool 
place ; after two or three hours, chop the fruit up in the 
syrup with a silver knife, and strain through a coarse cloth. 
Put the juice in the ice-chest, together with the cream and 
eggs ; when all are very cold, beat the juice gradually into 
the cream, keeping the latter in a vessel of ice-water ; then 
stir in the whites of the eggs, well whipped, and beat all to 
a good froth. A small pitcher is the best to beat in, if you 
have not a whip-chum. 

Quince and Other Creams. 

Peel and slice the quinces, and stew in enough water to 
make them tolerably juicy ; then take the stewed fruit, 
strain through a coarse cloth or sieve, and make the same 
as pine-apple, using a little more sugar, and having the in- 
gredients very cold. Serve this, and all the creams, as soon 
as possible after they are made. 

Apples and pears may be used instead of quinces ; make 
in the same way, sweetening according to the acidity of the 
fruit. The latter must be of fine rich flavor. 

Peach cream is made with good ripe fruit, uncooked. 
Peel and slice the peaches, sprinkle on the sugar, and after 
the juice starts strain through a colander, or coarse cloth ; 
then finish the same as pine-apple. Do not make too sweet; 
half a cup of sugar to a pint of sliced fruit, would be 
enough. Put all in the ice-chest to get as cold as possible, 
before making the cream. 



368 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, Etc. 

For several reasons, custards, like cakes, jellies, preserves 
and pickles, can not be considered as any part of a strictly 
hygienic dietary. In the first place they consist essentially 
of milk, eggs and sugar, mixed together, and either baked 
or boiled. The tendency of these articles, particularly 
when they are cooked together, is to congest the liver and 
lead to biliousness ; and the more eggs and sugar the 
custard contains, the more unwholesome it is. Add to the 
ingredients named, the various spices, extracts, essences, etc., 
that are put in as flavoring, and we have a compound that 
deserves to be consigned to that department of modern 
cookery, known as the " Devil's Corner," with no index. In 
this "corner" there would be ample room for the "just 
splendid " cakes, the " choice " pickles, the " elegant " pre- 
serves, jellies, jams, etc., etc., found in the ordinary cook- 
book ; to say nothing of the tea, coffee, ale, beer, wine, 
egg-nog, claret punch, cherry bounce, and other inventions 
of his Satanic Majesty. 

Returning to the custards — if they must be eaten, it 
might be well to suggest that they make their appearance 
only semi-occasionally, and in weather that is cool and brac- 
ing, rather than warm and debilitating. It might be further 
recommended that the worst things in them be left out ; and 
the next to the worst used in limited quantities. In fact, 
those who habituate themselves to very plain and simple 
habits of eating, with few condiments, are on the whole, 
better pleased with less sugar and eggs, and fewer flavoring 
extracts, than the average appetite demands. In the recipes 
here given, the only flavoring recommended, is lemon juice, 
or fruit jellies ; the latter being used for ornament and 
sweetening, as well as flavoring. 

In making custards, then, observe as nearly as possible, 
the following rules : 



PART III.] CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, ETC. 369 

1. Make them only in cool or cold weather, and not too 
often. 

2. Use as few eggs as are necessary, and as little sugar as 
the palate will tolerate. This latter (the palate), it must be 
remembered, is susceptible of education or training, either 
in light or wrong directions. 

3. Have milk that is free from water, and otherwise of good 
quality ; without good milk you can not have good custard. 

4. See that the eggs are absolutely fresh; the worst of 
dishes is a custard made with stale eggs. 

5. Have the eggs cold, separate the yolks and whites with 
the greatest care, and beat by themselves — the whites to a 
stiff froth. 

6. Whip with an egg-beater, in an earthen or stoneware 
dish, never in tin ; and if possible, beat the whites in a cold 
room. Do not let the eggs stand after they are beaten. 

7. For a plain custard, never take more than four eggs to 
a quart of milk — less will do, if a little flour or corn-starch 
is used to thicken. You can strain the yolks if you like, 
through a fine wire strainer kept for the purpose. 

8. If flavoring is desired, use lemon juice or fruit jellies, 
whipped into the whites, and spread on top. 

9. For boiled custards, heat the milk till it rises, either in 
a farina-kettle, or a tin bucket set in a pot of boiling water; 
then stir in the corn-starch, heat again, and lift from the fire. 
"Whip the sugar into the beaten yolks, and add to them the hot 
milk, a little at a time, stirring meanwhile to prevent curdling. 
"When all is in, return it to the kettle, and heat till the custard 
begins to thicken, using the spoon constantly ; then lift 
from the fire, beat in the whipped whites, and pour into 
cups. Or if preferred, leave out the whites till the custard 
is cold, and either stir them through it, or pile the froth on 
top. 

10. If the custard is to be baked, heat the milk nearly to 
boiling, and add it to the beaten yolks and sugar in the 



370 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

manner just described. Then stir in the well-whipped 
whites, and bake very slowly. This last is imperative ; you 
can hardly have the oven too moderate, if it bakes at all. 



Baked Custard. 

This is about the poorest of all the custard preparations ; 
it has in it neither " fruit nor f arinacea " ; and the method of 
cooking is not particularly in its favor. Boiled custards, 
properly made, are certainly more wholesome, and in flavor 
they are far more delicate. The baked ones, however, are 
greatly improved by heating the milk almost to a boil before 
the eggs are added, by using these and the sugar in moder- 
ation, and by extremely slow cooking in the oven. See that 
the milk is free from admixture with water, and other- 
wise of good quality ; if not new, a little cream added 
would be an improvement. 

To one quart of good rich milk, allow from three to four 
tablespoonfuls of sugar, and three large, or four small eggs. 
Heat the milk not quite to boiling, and lift from the fire ; 
beat the yolks moderately, whip in the sugar till light, and 
add to these the hot milk, a little at a time, stirring con- 
stantly. Then stir in the whipped whites, pour into stone- 
ware cups, place these inside a dripping-pan with boiling- 
water in it, and bake in a very slow oven. As soon as the 
custard sets, it is done ; indeed, there is only one correct 
way in this process, and that is to bake slowly, and not a 
moment too long ; if cooked till it separates, the custard is 
spoiled. Serve nearly or quite cold, from the cups. 

If desired, cover with a meringue made by beating to- 
gether a tablespoonful of sugar, the whites of two eggs, 
and the juice of half a lemon ; spread it over the top the 
moment the custard is set, and close the oven door till it 
tinges a little. 



part in.] custards, blanc-manges, etc. 371 

Boiled Custard.^ 

1 quart new milk. 

^ cup sugar. 

1 teaspoonful corn-starch, wet in cold milk. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Heat in a farina-kettle, or a tin bucket placed in a pot of 
boiling water ; when the milk rises stir in the corn-starch, 
cook five minutes, and set it off. Having whipped the 
sugar into the beaten yolks, stir into them a little of the hot 
milk, then more, then turn all together ; heat again, using 
the spoon, till the custard begins to thicken. Then remove 
from the fire, stir in the whites cut to a stiff froth, and when 
cool enough, pour either into a deep glass dish, or into 
glass or china cups. Serve nearly or quite cold. If you 
like, beat the whites of two eggs with a little sugar and 
lemon juice, and drop a spoonful of the froth on the top of 
each cup, before sending to the table. 

Another way — and it is a good one — is to use only the 
yolks in making, and then stir in the whipped whites the 
last thing before the custard is served. 



'O 



Boiled Custard. 4£ 

1 quart new milk, 
f cup sugar. 

2 teaspoonfuls corn-starch. 

2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Juice of half a lemon. 

Heat the milk nearly to boiling, wet the corn-starch with 
a little cold milk, and stir it in ; use the spoon constantly, 
till the mixture rises in a foam. Then set up the kettle, 
where it will keep hot till you can beat together the yolks 
(previously whipped a little) and half the sugar ; stir into 
these a few spoonfuls of the hot milk, then more, then all. 
25 



372 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Return to the kettle, and cook till the custard begins to 
thicken ; then take from the fire, whip the whites, lemon, 
and the rest of the sugar together, stir them in, and beat 
till the custard is nearly cold. The lemon can be omitted, 
if desired, and the beating dispensed with. 

Floating Islands. 
1 quart sweet milk. 
| cup sugar. 

4 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Juice of half a lemon. 

Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, and heat till it rises ; 
then beat the yolks a little, whip in half the sugar, and stir 
into these the hot milk, a little at a time. "When all is ad- 
ded, return the custard to the fire and boil till it begins to 
thicken, stirring constantly. When cold, pour it into a wide 
glass dish, and drop on in little " islands," the froth made 
by beating together the whites, lemon, and the rest of the 
sugar. 

A more ornamental dish is made by substituting for the 
sugar and lemon juice, half a cup of cranberry or other 
bright jelly; beat this into the whites, a teaspoonful at a 
time, and then drop on the froth as before. The islands 
may be further ornamented by placing upon each, bits of the 
jelly, laid on in a pattern. 

Floating Island. 
1 quart new milk. 
\ cup sugar. 

\ " cranberry or other bright jelly. 
^ " strawberries, ripe but firm. 
4 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 
Make the custard the same as the last, using all the sugar; 
and when cold, pour into a glass dish. Then whip the jelly, 
a little at a time, into the whites, spread it evenly over the 



PART III.] CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, ETC. 373 

top, and ornament as follows: Cut the strawberries horizon- 
tally into little " wheels," and arrange them (the cut sides 
always uppermost) in double rows on the meringue, either in 
the form of a cross, or some other handsome pattern. Or if it 
is not the strawberry season, use bright jellies, cut these in 
diamonds or straight strips, and lay on in a similar way. 

Eock-Work. 

1 quart sweet milk. 

| cup sugar. 

5 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Make a soft custard according to either of the preceding 
recipes, using the yolks, milk, and half the sugar ; the mo- 
ment it thickens lift from the fire, and when cold pour into 
a glass dish. Beat the whites and the rest of the sugar to- 
gether, till a stiff froth is formed. Then take it up, a spoon- 
ful at a time, lay it upon boiling milk, and carefully with- 
draw the spoon; as soon as the underside is cooked, slip the 
spoon beneath, and turn the froth over; when done lift 
carefully, and lay it on the custard. Continue the process, 
heaping the masses irregularly over the surface, to form the 
rock-work. Set the dish in a cold place. 

Trifle. 

Slice a stale cream cake, fruit cake, or sponge cake, and 
lay in a glass dish; then prepare a strawberry cream, as per 
recipe already given, and pour it over. Or you may whip 
the cream by itself, pour it over the slices, and lay on some 
bits of bright jelly. 

Strawberry Trifle. 

Put into the bottom of a glass dish a layer of sliced 
sponge cake, moistened with cream; then cover with ripe 
strawberries, sprinkled with sugar; red raspberries, or ripe 



374 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART in. 

peaches peeled and sliced, are equally good. Kepeat the 
layers till the dish is two-thirds full. Then prepare a boiled 
custard, as follows : Beat together the yolks of three or four 
eggs, and whip in a third of a cup of sugar; stir gradually 
into these a quart of milk brought just to a boil, and then 
heat till the custard thickens, stirring constantly. When 
this is cold pour it over the cake, cover with the whipped 
whites beaten to a stiff froth with a little sugar, and orna- 
mented with red berries, or bits of bright jelly, tastefully 
arranged. 

Charlotte Russe. 

1 pint rich sweet cream. 
^ cup sugar. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

One large Graham sponge cake, or two small ones. 

Cut the cake into half -inch slices, and line a quart mould 
with them; have the bottom lining all in one piece, if con- 
venient. Put the cream in the ice-chest till very cold; then 
whip in a small pitcher, or beat in a whip-churn till no more 
froth will rise; keep the cream in ice-water while the whip- 
ping is done. When this is finished stir in the sugar, and 
the whites cut to a stiff froth; then pour all into the lined 
mould, filling it nearly full, and set on ice till wanted. 

Another way is to put half an ounce of gelatine into a 
gill of cold milk, set it in boiling water, and heat (stirring) 
till dissolved. When cold, beat it into the whipped cream 
after the eggs and sugar are added, fill the mould, and set 
on ice as before. 

Charlotte Russe. 

Make like the preceding, only prepare a strawberry or 
other fruit cream, instead of the plain. 



part in.] custards, blanc-manges, etc. 375 

Tapioca Custard. 

1 quart sweet milk. 

3 tablespoonfuls tapioca, washed and drained. 

J cup sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Soak the tapioca in a pint of water several hours, or over 
night; heat the milk nearly to boiling in a farina-kettle, and 
put in the tapioca with the water in which it soaked; stir 
constantly, till the mixture is ready to boil. Then set it off, 
beat the yolks moderately, whip in the sugar, and stir the 
hot milk and tapioca into them, a little at a time; return to 
the kettle and cook five minutes, or till the custard thickens, 
still using the spoon. Then remove from the fire, beat the 
whites to a stiff froth, and stir them in ; pour the custard 
into a bowl, and set it away to cool. Tapioca cream is made 
the same as the custard, except that the beaten whites are 
not stirred into it, but spread on top after the cream is 
cold. Both the cream and custard should be served cold. 

Manioca makes a better cream or custard than tapioca ; 
the method of making is nearly the same as for tapioca, ex- 
cept that the manioca requires no soaking. Put it into the 
cold milk, bring to a boil, and cool to blood heat; then stir 
in the yolks and sugar beaten together, and bring again to 
boiling; cook till the custard thickens, and stir in the beaten 
whites. Cool before serving. 

Sago Custard. 

Soak the sago in a pint of water one hour, and then make 
the same as tapioca. 

Mountain Custard. — (Junket.) 

1 quart sweet milk — new, if you have it. 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 

1 " liquid rennet. 



376 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Warm the milk to blood heat, then stir in the sugar and 
rennet; you will get the latter at the drug store, possibly of 
your grocer. After you have put in the rennet pour the 
milk into a glass dish, and set where it will keep a little 
warm. If at the end of an hour it has not commenced to 
coagulate, stir in more rennet; it should be firm, in one to 
two hours. Set on ice to cool, and serve with cream, or 
cream and sugar. 

This is what the Scotch people call "curds and cream"; 
they omit the sugar in the making. It should be eaten 
within an hour after it has formed; if it stands too long, it 
will become wheyey. 

Cold Feuit Custard. 

Throw sugar upon strawberries, raspberries, sliced pine- 
apple, or other fruit; take, say a gill of the syrup which 
forms in the bottom of the dish, to flavor and sweeten a 
quart of new milk. Then add to the latter a cup of sweet 
cream (though this can be omitted), and also a tablespoon- 
ful of liquid rennet. Stir well together, and pour into the 
dish from which the custard is to be served; then set it in 
a warm place till the milk is coagulated, which should be 
in from one to two hours. If the rennet is not of usual 
strength, you may have to stir in more at the end of the 
first hour; but if the milk has begun to coagulate, do not 
disturb it. When firm set on ice, and serve as soon as cold, 
with cream and sugar. This is said to be a delicious des- 
sert. 

Cottage Cheese. 

Take milk that has soured till thick enough to form a 
clabber, but not any older; it should be as fresh as possible, 
but fully coagulated. Set it on the stove and heat gradu- 
ally, till the whey rises to the top; then pour off the latter, 
and put the curd into a clean linen bag to drip. Let it 



PART III.] CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, ETC. 377 

hang five or six hours, or over night; turn it into a bowl, 
chop moderately with a knife or wooden spoon, and add 
a little sage if it is liked. Then pour in part of a cup of 
sweet cream, stir it lightly through the curd, and set in a 
cold place. Serve while it is fresh. 

Irish Moss Blanc-Mange. 

2 quarts sweet milk. 

2 even tablespoonfuls sugar. 

1 scant cup Irish moss. 

Pour the milk into a farina-kettle, or tin bucket set in a 
pot of boning water, and warm to blood heat; then pick 
over the moss, wash thoroughly, and stir it well through 
the milk. Keep the mixture warm, and let it stand undis- 
turbed till it thickens; then strain through a thin cloth, fine 
sieve, or strainer, and stir in the sugar. Pour it into a 
mould or cups wet with cold water, and set on ice, or in a 
cool place. When the blanc-mange is quite cold and firm, 
turn it out on a glass plate, and eat with cream. Or you 
may omit the sugar in making, and serve with cream and 
sugar. 

Manioca Blanc-Mange. 

1 quart sweet milk — new preferred. 
3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
3 " manioca. 

Soak the manioca in the milk one hour, then stir in the 
sugar, and heat to a boil ; stir constantly, and cook ten to 
fifteen minutes, or till the mixture thickens. Then remove 
from the fire, and pour into a mould dipped in cold water. 
Serve with cream, fruit, or fruit sauce. 

If preferred, omit the sugar in the making, and add it 
with the dressing. 



378 health in the household. [part iil 

Tapioca Blanc-Mange. 

3 cups sweet milk. 
3 " cold water. 
3 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
1 cup tapioca. 

Wash the tapioca, and soak it several hours or over night 
in the cold water; heat the milk almost to a boil in a farina- 
kettle, put in the tapioca with any water that may remain, 
and cook fifteen minutes, stirring constantly. Then lift 
from the fire, pour into a mould or cups wet with cold 
water, and set away till cold. If put into cups, fill them 
about half full. Serve with cream, fruit, or fruit juice; 
stewed cherries, damson plums, raspberries, or raspberries 
and currants mixed, make a good dressing; and a spoonful 
of the latter with a little cream added, is excellent. 

Tapioca jelly is made as follows : Soak, say one cup of 
tapioca in a quart of cold water, several hours; then put it 
into a farina-kettle with the water in which it stood, and 
cook till clear; stir in the juice of one lemon, and take the 
jelly from the fire. Pour it into cups wet with cold water, 
and set in a cool place. Serve the same as the blanc-mange. 

Sago Blanc-Mange. 

Make the same as the preceding, only use less sago than 
tapioca, and soak it a shorter time; three-fourths of a cup 
is sufficient, and an hour is long enough for soaking. 

Corn-Starch Blanc-Mange. 

1 pint sweet milk. 

1 " cold water. 

•J cup sugar. 

4 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 

Pour the milk and water together (some use all milk), 



PART III.] CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, ETC. 379 

and heat just to a boil; then wet the corn-starch with a lit- 
tle cold water, and stir it in; add also the sugar, and cook 
seven to ten minutes. Then take from the fire, and pour 
into a mould or cups wet with cold water; if into cups, fill 
them about half full. When cold, carefully turn the blanc- 
mange out on a glass dish or plate, and serve with cream, 
fruit, or fruit juice; whipped cream flavored with fruit, is a 
fine dressing. 

These blanc-manges may be prettily ornamented with 
strips of jelly, laid on in a pattern; or with raspberries or 
strawberries, arranged in the form of a cross, or other 
figure. Thirty-two berries (red or black raspberries) ar- 
ranged in a double row, make a cross of good proportions. 
The safest way is first to place them on a clean white plat- 
ter, and see that the proportions are correct; for after the 
fruit is laid on the blanc-mange, you can not move it with- 
out leaving a stain. 

Instead of using a pint of water in the making, you may, 
if you choose, take half a cup of strawberry or currant 
juice, expressed from the fruit, and only a cup and a half 
of water. Mix the milk and water together, add the sugar, 
and star in the corn-starch; let this cook a little before 
adding the juice, and then proceed as before. 

Farina Blanc-Mange. 
1 pint sweet milk. 

1 " cold water. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
4 " farina. 

Mix the milk and water, and heat to boiling; stir in the 
farina and sugar, and cook fifteen minutes, using the spoon 
constantly; make in a farina-kettle. Then remove from the 
fire, and pour into a dish or mould wet with cold water; or 
if preferred, use wet cups, filling them half or two-thirds 
full. Serve with stewed or canned fruits, or their juices; 



380 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

cherries and blackberries are excellent; so are raspberries 
and currants mixed. Or you may use as a dressing, 
whipped cream, fruit sauce, or cold cream. 

Strawberry Blanc-Mange. 

1 quart fruit juice. 

i cup sugar. 

4 tablespoonfuls corn-starch. 
First prepare the juice by stewing the fruit, allowing one 
pint of water to five pints of capped strawberries; stew till 
soft, and strain through a cloth. Then put the juice (one 
quart) into a porcelain kettle, add the sugar, and bring to a 
boil; wet the corn-starch with a little cold water, stir it in, 
and cook ten to fifteen minutes, or till the mixture thickens 
and ceases to taste raw; stir constantly. As soon as dene 
lift from the fire, and pour into moulds or cups wet with 
cold water; the cups should not be filled more than half or 
two-thirds full. "When cold, turn carefully out on a wide 
plate or dish, and serve with cold cream, rich fruit, or a 
soft custard. 

If preferred, make this and the two following blanc- 
manges without sugar, and eat them with whipped cream, 
sweet fruit, or cream and sugar. 

Raspberry Blanc-Mange. 

Stew the raspberries, allowing one quart of water to two 
quarts of black caps ; if- red raspberries are used, take five 
pints of fruit. Then strain out the juice, put a quart of it 
into a porcelain kettle, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, 
and bring to a boil ; stir in four tablespoonfuls of corn- 
starch wet with a little cold water, and cook and mould, the 
same as the last. Serve with fruit sauce, sweet fruit, or 
cream and sugar — or any of the whipped creams. 

Currants, cherries (especially the morello), blackberries 
and huckleberries, make good blanc-manges. In making 



PART in.] CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, ETC. 381 

these with fruit, some take equal parts of fruit juice and 
sweet milk ; the color is not so dark, but the flavor is less 
delicate than where no milk is used. Another way is to 
leave out the sugar in the making, and add it simply in the 
dressing. 

Farina Blanc-Mange,— ( With Fruit.) 

1 quart fruit juice. 

4 tablespoonfuls farina. 

2 to 3 " sugar, according to acidity of 

fruit. 

First prepare the juice ; do this by stewing the fruit in a 
porcelain kettle, allowing water (no sugar) in the propor- 
tions given in the table, under Fruits and Fruit Juices, 
Part II. Bring the fruit to a boil, skim, cook three to five 
minutes, or until soft, and then strain through a cloth. 
Raspberries, currants (or the two mixed), strawberries, black- 
berries, or cherries, may be used for this purpose. Put the 
juice back in the kettle, add the sugar, and bring to a boil ; 
stir in the dry farina, being careful to have no lumps, and 
cook fifteen minutes, stirring constantly. Then lift off, 
pour into moulds or cups wet with cold water, and set in a 
cool place. Serve the same as the last. 

Corn-starch (wet with a little cold water) may be used in- 
stead of farina ; it will cook in half the time. 

Variegated Blanc-Mange. 

Make a plain farina or corn-starch blanc-mange, according 
to the recipes heretofore given ; and at the same time make 
a fruit blanc-mange, as in the last. "When they are cold 
and a little stiff, pour into deep moulds or cups wet with 
cold water, a layer of the white ; as soon as this is firm 
enough to bear the weight of the second layer without mix- 
ing, pour in an equal quantity of the dark. Let this stiffen 
a little, and put in another of the white ; and so on, alter- 



382 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART ILL 

nately, till the mould is filled. Let it stand in a cold place 
several hours, or till well formed ; then turn out on a glass 
or china plate, and serve with whipped cream, fruit sauce, 
or cream and sugar. If the blanc-mange adheres to the 
mould, loosen it carefully around the edges with the fingers. 

MOULDED FARINACEA. 

The following dishes are all very plain, but very conven- 
ient for warm weather ; and they are far more wholesome 
than rich puddings, cakes, etc. Nicely moulded in cups, 
scalloped dishes, or plain oval ones, and carefully turned 
out on a pretty plate of glass or china, they are handsome 
as well as palatable. And if you care to take the trouble, 
these and the blanc-manges are susceptible of further orna- 
mentation, by a tasteful arrangement of ripe fruits (as 
strawberries, raspberries, or currants), or bits of bright 
jelly, laid on in a pattern. The dark fruit blanc-manges 
look well with bunches of "frosted" currants laid over 
them ; but they must be served soon after, or the " frost " 
will melt by coming in contact with the moist surface. 

Moulded Farina. =ft= 

1 quart (nearly) boiling water. 

\ cup sweet cream. 

\ " farina. 
Stir the farina into the boiling water, and cook fifteen 
minutes ; using the spoon almost constantly. Then add the 
cream, and cook two minutes longer, stirring meanwhile. 
Pour into cups wet with cold water, filling them half or two- 
thirds full, and set them in a cold place several hours, or till 
the next day. Before serving, invert the cones on a broad 
glass dish, taking care not to break them. 

If you choose, you can ornament these with strawberries 
or red raspberries, by making a slight cavity on top with 



PART III.] MOULDED FABINACEA. 383 

the point of a spoon, and inserting the berries ; they can 
be arranged (five small ones) in the form of a cross. Or 
bits of cranberry or currant jelly, cut in strips or dice, may 
be laid on in a neat pattern. If berries are used, have also 
a separate dish of the fruit, and serve as follows : Place in 
a wide saucer the cone of moulded farina, with a spoonful 
or two of berries about its base ; when all are helped, pass 
the sugar, and then the cream. 

Fruit, or fruit juice, makes a plain but good dressing for 
moulded farina. 

Moulded Corn-Starch. 

Make like the preceding, with or without the addition of 
sagar, and cook about half as long ; boil five minutes before 
adding the cream, and two minutes afterward. Mould and 
serve the same as the last ; or eat with mock cream, or a 
soft custard. 

Moulded Graham. =f£ 

Make a mush by stirring Grahani flour slowly into boil- 
ing water ; it must not be too thick ; cook ten minutes, 
using the mush-stick as little as possible. Then stir in a 
few spoonfuls of milk or cream, and also a cup of fresh 
dates ; cook two minutes longer, taking care not to scorch 
in the bottom. Pour into a mould or cups wet with cold 
water, and set it away till cold. Serve with cream, fruit, or 
fruit sauce. 

The milk (or cream) may be omitted in the making, if 
desired ; in warm weather there would be less danger of 
souring. 

Moulded Wheat. 4^ 

Take pearl or cracked wheat, and steam it four hours ; 
then mould the same as the last. Serve with cream or 
fruit. 



384 health in the household. [paet ie:. 

Moulded Rice. 41= 

3 cups cold water. 

\ cup sweet milk or cream. 

1 " rice, picked over and washed. 

Start the rice in the cold water, and cook forty to fifty 
minutes, or until tender ; stir once or twice the first five 
minutes, lest it stick to the bottom of the vessel. Or you 
may cook on top of the stove in a covered tin basin or 
kettle, shaking it from time to time ; this is better than 
stirring, which breaks the grains, and makes the rice sticky. 
When about done heat the milk almost to boiling, and stir 
it in gently, breaking the grains as little as possible. Cook 
a few minutes longer, and then put the rice into moulds or 
cups, and set it away to cool. Serve the next day — or it 
may be prepared in the morning for supper — with a dress- 
ing of rich fruit (as stewed or canned plums), fruit sauce, 
or cream and sugar. Fresh dates, stirred in five minutes 
before the rice is taken from the fire, make a good addition; 
and they look well in the moulded mass. 

Rice and Raisins. 4£ 

3 cups boiling water. 

1 cup sweet milk. 

1 " rice, picked over carefully and washed. 

i " raisins, picked from the stems. 

Mix all well together, and steam an hour in a closed 
steamer ; or you may cook in a farina-kettle, or in a tin 
bucket set in a pot of boiling water. When done, pour the 
rice and raisins into a dish or mould wet with cold water ; 
or you may put it into cups, and set in a cool place. When 
cold turn out on a plate, and serve with cream or fruit, or 
with mixed sauce. 



part ih.j moulded farinacea. 385 

Rice Snow-Balls. 

2 quarts boiling water. 

1 pint sweet milk. 

J cup " cream. 

2 cups rice, picked over carefully and washed. 
2 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

2 tablespoonfuls sugar. 
1 teaspoonful corn-starch. 

Boil the rice forty to fifty minutes, or until perfectly soft; 
stir as little as possible, so as not to break the grains. If 
you have a closed steamer, or farina-kettle, you can cook 
without disturbing it. A good way is to cook in a tin basin 
or granitized iron pan, covered, and set on top of the stove; 
shake it from time to time, instead of stirring. When the 
rice is tender mix in the cream, and heat five minutes 
longer. Then pour into small cups wet with cold water, 
and set away to mould ; when ready turn out the " snow- 
balls," and place them in a glass dish. Make a boiled cus- 
tard of the eggs, milk, corn-starch and sugar, and as soon 
as cold pour it over the moulded rice ; do this half an hour 
before serving. 

If preferred, omit the boiled custard and serve with cream 
and sugar, or with stewed or canned fruit. 

Rice Snow. 

1 quart sweet milk. 

5 tablespoonfuls rice-flour — or corn-starch. 

\ cup sugar. 

4 eggs — whites of. 
Heat the milk to boiling, in a farina-kettle ; mix in the 
rice-flour (or com-starch) wet with a little cold milk, and 
cook till it thickens ; stir all the while. Then add the sugar, 
heat and stir three minutes, and remove from the fire. 
When cold beat the whites to a stiff froth, and whip into 



386 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

them the thickened milk, a little at a time, until all is well 
mixed. Pour this into small cups, or a mould, wet in cold 
water ; the next day turn out the rice " snow " on a plate, 
and serve with cream, fruit, or fruit juice. 

OTHER DISHES. 

Rice Apples. 

1 quart sweet milk — half water, if preferred. 

1 cup rice, picked over carefully and washed. 
\ " currants — or seedless raisins. 

8 or 9 apples, rather tart. 

2 eggs — whites of. 

1 tablespoonful sugar. 
Juice of one lemon. 

Put the milk and rice into a farina-kettle (or tin bucket 
set in a pot of boiling water), and cook forty minutes or 
until tender. In the mean time pare and core the apples, 
fill their centers with the currants or raisins, and place 
them in the bottom of a pudding-dish. Then squeeze the 
lemon juice into the sweet fruit, put a trifle of water in the 
dish, and set it in the oven, closely covered ; bake till the 
apples are tender, but not broken. When the rice is ready 
put it neatly around the apples, leaving their tops uncover- 
ed ; return to the oven, cover the pan to keep in the steam, 
and bake twenty minutes. 

Then uncover, spread with the whites and sugar beaten 
together, and brown slightly. Serve in the bake-dish with 
cream and sugar, fruit, or fruit juice ; stewed or canned 
raspberries, blackberries, or cherries, make a good dressing. 

Ba.ked Apples. =t=|= 

Pare and core apples that are not very tart, but of fine 
rich flavor ; they should be sweet enough not to fall to 



PART III.] OTHER DISHES. 387 

pieces when cooked. Wash quickly, to remove knife-rust, 
put into earthen pie-pans placing them not too closely to- 
gether, and add a little cold water. Set in an even oven, 
and bake without scorching till thoroughly tender ; they 
may require turning, once or twice ; though they look better 
not to be disturbed till done. If they brown too fast on 
top, cover with an old plate, or a pie-pan of granitized iron ; 
and if necessary, add a trifle of hot water once or twice, 
while they are baking ; it may be well to pour in a little, 
boiling hot, just before you take them from the oven ; there 
should be considerable juice when the apples are done. Set 
them away in the pans till nearly cold, then lift carefully 
into a glass dish, and pour the juice over. This dessert, 
properly prepared, is both attractive and palatable ; the 
apples, smooth and unbroken, should be of a light buff 
color, with the thick amber juice at the base. They may be 
served with cream, though they are good enough without. 

If fair and rosy, and pretty sweet, they are very good 
baked without paring ; simply wash them, remove the blos- 
som ends with a pen-knife, leave in the stems, and bake as 
before ; or you may place two or more layers in a deep 
dish, add a cupful of water, and bake uncovered in a mod- 
erate oven ; they will need to be turned as they cook, and 
the bottom ones brought to the top. When done put the 
apples in a dish, and drain the juice over them. 

Stewed Apples. i|= 

Pare and core good rich apples, not too ripe, and sweet 
enough not to break in stewing ; wash quickly, and lay 
whole in a porcelain kettle, adding enough cold water to 
about one-third cover them ; then place over a slow fire. 
Cover with a plate, if you have not a granitized iron lid ; 
tin ones, unless bright and new, darken the fruit by the 
steam that collects on them. Stew gently, or rather sim- 
mer, one hour, or till the apples are not only tender, but 
26 



388 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

rich in color and flavor ; there should be a good cupful of 
juice in the bottom, when done. Set the kettle away with 
the fruit in it, till cold or nearly so ; then put the apples in 
a glass dish, pour the juice over them, and when ready, 
serve, with or without cream. 

Baked Peaks. 

The fruit if unpeeled, should be of fair quality, and 
barely ripe. Wash the pears, trim off any defects, and 
pack closely into a stone jar or crock till full ; sprinkle the 
layers lightly with sugar, and pour in enough water to 
about cover the fruit ; then bake three hours in a very 
moderate oven, keeping the jar closely covered. When 
done and nearly cold, put the pears into a glass dish, pour 
the juice over them, and set in a cool place. Serve with or 
without a dressing of cream. 

If the pears are large and not nearly ripe, or the skins 
tough, peel them, remove the blossom ends, and bake as 
before. 

Stewed Pears. =f£ 

If wanted choice, select good fruit with a fine sub-acid 
flavor; the Bartlett, Seckel and White Doyenne, are choice 
varieties. The pears must not be too ripe ; they should be 
"turning," but not mellow. Some varieties have a very 
tough skin, and need peeling; the ones named, if smooth 
and fair, do not require it. Simply wash them,, remove the 
blossom ends with a pen-knife, put into a porcelain kettle, 
and pour in water till the fruit is about one-third covered ; 
if not rich in flavor, add a little sugar. Then cover with a 
clean lid or plate, bring slowly to a boil, and simmer nearly 
or quite an hour. As soon as done, set the kettle off, and 
leave the pears in it to cool; there should be plenty of juice 
in the bottom. When cold lift out the fruit, put it into a 
glass dish, and pour the juice over. 



part ih.j other dishes. 389 

Apple Cream. 
Select fine apples, fair and smooth, and rather tart; wash 
well, trim out the blossom ends, and either bake or stew in 
a little water, till quite soft. Remove the skins, cores and 
seeds, mash till smooth or rub through a hair sieve, and 
sweeten while hot; when cold, stir into a pint of the sauce 
half a cup of good cream; beat till light, and serve. 

Apple Ice. 

Take apples of a good rich flavor (as the Spitzenberg, or 
bellflower), grate them fine, sweeten to taste, and freeze. 
The ice is said to be delicious. 

Pears, peaches, or quinces, may be prepared in the same 
way; or you may mix apple and quince together, and then 
sweeten and freeze. These frozen mixtures can not be rec- 
ommended as particularly good for weak stomachs. 

Apple Snow. 
6 tart apples — pippins or bellflowers. 

2 cups sweet milk. 
f cup white sugar. 

3 eggs, yolks and whites separate. 

Make a boiled custard of the yolks, milk, and half the 
sugar, and cook till it thickens; when cold, pour into a glass 
dish. Beat the whites and the rest of the sugar to a stiff 
froth; then peel the apples, grate fine, and stir them imme- 
diately into it, to prevent their changing color; beat till very 
light, and heap the " snow " upon the custard. Serve as 
soon as possible, after making. 

Apple Float. 
1 pint tart apple sauce. 
1 " sweet milk. 
4- cup white sugar. 
3 eggs, yolks and whites separate, 



390 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART in. 

Prepare the sauce by stewing the apples in very little 
water; they should be rich in flavor, fine in texture, and 
rather tart; a few slices of quince stewed with them is an 
improvement, for those who like the flavor of that fruit. 
Stew quickly, in a porcelain kettle. In the mean time, make 
a soft custard by heating the milk to a boil, adding the 
yolks and half the sugar beaten together, and cooking till 
it begins to thicken; then set it off to cool. Mash the apple 
sauce till fine and smooth; you may rub it through a hair 
sieve, if you have one. When perfectly cold, whip the 
whites and the rest of the sugar into it, and beat till the 
mixture will stand alone; then pour the cold custard into a 
glass dish, and pile the float on top. Or if you prefer, 
omit the custard, heap the whipped sauce in the dish, and 
pour the cold cream around it. Serve immediately. 

Apple Puffs. 

Stew the apples as in the last recipe, and sweeten to taste 
while hot; add a little lemon juice, if desired. When cold, 
whip the whites of two eggs into a pint of the sauce, and 
bake in open crusts; make the latter of ordinary cream 
paste, and roll it rather thin. You may ornament the top 
with strips of thin paste laid on in a pattern; finish the edge 
neatly, and bake in a quick oven till the pastry is done. 

JELLIES, JAMS AND SYKUPS. 

Jellies, jams and syrups, as ordinarily made, are in no 
sense hygienic, owing to the amount of sugar they contain. 
There is a process of converting fruit juices into jellies by 
evaporation, which, if successfully applied, would make 
them both wholesome and delicious. But as yet, the art is 
so little understood, that generally speaking it is of no prac- 
tical value. No doubt the time will come, when the juices 
of fruits can be preserved in this form without impairing 



PAET III.] JELLIES, JAMS AND SYRUPS. 391 

or destroying their exquisite delicacy of flavor, with, that 
intense, sugary taste which comes from adding pound for 
pound. 

For the present, we must be content to use the jellies, if 
at all, as we do sugar; simply for sweetening (or flavoring), 
as in puddings, creams, etc. ; or for decorating those dishes 
(custards, cakes, etc.) that are intended to be ornamental, 
rather than useful or wholesome. 

Making Fruit Jellies. 

The general directions for making ordinary fruit jellies, 
are as follows: Cook the fruit slowly till soft, strain out the 
juice, and boil the latter over a very moderate fire, twenty 
minutes; then add dry sugar, allowing a pound to every 
pint of juice; heat again, stirring constantly till the sugar 
is all melted; then lift from the fire, and pour into glasses. 

The three following paragraphs, more in detail, are from 
the Buckeye Cookery : 

"Always make jellies in a porcelain kettle, if possible; 
but brass may be used if scoured very bright, and the fruit 
removed immediately on taking from the fire. Use the best 
refined or granulated sugar, and do not have the fruit, 
especially currants and grapes, overripe. 

" To extract the juice, place the fruit in the kettle with 
just enough water to keep it from burning; stir often, and 
let it remain on the fire until thoroughly scalded. Or a bet- 
ter but rather slower method, is to place it in a stone jar 
set within a kettle of tepid water, boil until the fruit is well 
softened, stirring frequently, and then strain a small quan- 
tity at a time through a strong coarse flannel or cotton bag, 
wrung out of hot water ; after which let it drain, and 
squeeze with the hands as it cools, emptying the bag and 
rinsing it off, each time it is used. The larger fruits, such 
as apples and quinces, should be cut in pieces, the cores re- 
moved if at all defective, and water added to just cover 



392 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

them; then boil gently till tender, turn into a bag and place 
to drain for three or four hours, or over night. Make no 
more than two or three pints of jelly at a time, as large 
quantities require longer boiling. As a general rule, allow 
equal measures of juice and sugar. Boil the juice rapidly, 
ten minutes from the first moment it bubbles; skim, add 
the sugar, and boil ten minutes longer. Or, spread the 
sugar in a large dripping-pan set in the oven, and stir 
often to prevent burning; boil the juice just twenty min- 
utes, add the hot sugar, boil up once, and pour into jelly- 
glasses. 

" To test the jelly, drop a little in a glass of very cold 
water, and if it immediately falls to the bottom it is done ; 
or drop into a saucer and set on ice, or in a cool place; if it 
does not spread, but remains rounded, it is finished. Some 
strain through the bag into the glasses, but this involves 
waste ; and if the skimming is carefully done, it is not nec- 
essary. If the jelly is not very firm, let it stand in the sun, 
covered with bits of window glass, or pieces of mosquito 
netting, for a few days. Never attempt to make jellies in 
damp or cloudy weather, if firmness and clearness are de- 
sired. Currants and berries should be made up as soon as 
picked ; never let them stand over night. When ready to 
put away, cover with pieces of tissue or writing paper cut 
to fit, and pressed closely upon the jelly ; then put on the 
lid, or cover with thick paper, brushed over on the inside 
with the white of an egg, and turned down on the outside of 
the glass." 

Equally to the point are the suggestions given below, from 
Marion Harland : 

Currant, Blackberry, Strawberry, etc. 

" Put the fruit into a stone jar, set this in a kettle of 
tepid water, and put it upon the fire. Let it boil, closely 
covered, until the fruit is broken to pieces ; strain, pressing 



PART III.] JELLIES, JAAIS AND SYRUPS. 393 

the bag (a stout coarse one) hard, putting in but a few 
handfuls at a time, and between each squeezing turning it 
inside out to scald off the pulp and skins. To each pint of 
jiiice allow a pound of sugar. Set the juice on alone to 
boil, and while it is warming divide the sugar into several 
different portions, and put into shallow pie-dishes or pans 
that will lit in your ovens; heat in these, opening the ovens 
now and then to stir it and prevent burning. Boil the juice 
just twenty minutes from the moment it begins fairly to bub- 
ble. By this time the sugar should be so hot you can not 
bear your hand in it. Should it melt around the edges, do 
not be alarmed. The burned parts will only form into lumps 
in the syrup, and can easily be taken out. Throw the sugar 
into the boiling juice, stirring rapidly all the while. It will 
1 hiss ' as it falls in, and melt very quickly. "Withdraw your 
spoon when you are sure it is dissolved. Let the jelly just 
come to a boil to make all certain, and take the kettle in- 
stantly from the fire. Roll your glasses or cups in hot 
water, and fill with the scalding liquid. If these directions 
be strictly followed, and the fruit is at the proper state of 
ripeness, there need be no dread of failure. I have often 
had the jelly ' form ' before I filled the last glass." 

" If jellies are not so firm after six or eight hours as you 
would have them, set them in the sun, with bits of window 
glass over them to keep out the dust and insects. Remove 
these at night, and wipe off the moisture collected on the 
under side. Repeat this every day until the jelly shrinks 
into firmness, filling up one cup from another as need re- 
quires. This method is far preferable to boiling down, 
which both injures the flavor and darkens the jelly." 

Raspberry and Currant Jelly. 

" To two parts red raspberrries, or ' black caps,' put one 
of red currants, and proceed as with other berry jellies. 



894 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

" The flavor is exquisite. This jelly is especially nice for 
cake." 

Quince Jelly. 

"Pare and slice the quinces, and add for every five 
pounds of fruit a cup of water. Put peelings, cores, and 
all into a stone jar; set this in a pot of boiling water, and 
when the fruit is soft and broken, proceed as with other 
jellies." 

Crab- Apple Jelly. 

" Cut Siberian crab-apples to pieces, but do not pare, or 
remove the seeds. The latter impart a peculiarly pleasant 
flavor to the fruit. Put into a stone jar, set in a pot of hot 
water, and let it boil eight or nine hours. Leave in the jar 
all night/ covered closely. Next morning squeeze out the 
juice, allow pound for pint, and manage as you do currant 
jelly. 

" Should the apples be very dry, add a cup of water for 
every six pounds of fruit." 

Apple Jelly. 

Make the same as crab-apple. — A good jelly is said to be 
made without sugar, from sweet apples; express the juice as 
for cider, and boil till the liquid is reduced one-eighth, or a 
pint to the gallon. Mould the same as other jellies. 

Cranberry Jelly. 
Make like currant or any "berry " jelly, skimming if there 
is need when it comes to a boil. 

Other Fruit Jellies. ^ 

Nearly all fruits can be made into jellies, but some are 
better for this purpose than others ; usually those fruits are 
selected that are choicest in flavor, and that make the hand- 
somest jellies. Of these, the ones already given are the best, 
or among the best. 



PART III.] JELLIES, JAMS AND SYRUPS. 395 

For all small fruits, as berries and currants, a lady who 
lias had much experience in jelly-making, recommends the 
following method: Crash the fruit, put it into a stone jar, 
set this in a vessel of boiling water, and heat over a slow 
tire till you can express the juice; after squeezing out the 
latter, add by measure an equal quantity of water, and boil 
twenty minutes. Then put in a pound of sugar (dried in 
the oven) for every pint of the mixed fluid, heat till the 
sugar is melted, and put into glasses. Jelly made in this 
way is said to keep perfectly, and to be very delicate in 
flavor. 

Jams. 

Jams are too sweet and too concentrated, to be used in 
any other way than simply as a condiment ; and then, the 
less the better. They give a rich flavoring to puddings and 
cakes, which like themselves, are, to say the most, very dis- 
tantly related to hygiene. The process of making them here 
given, and taken from the Buckeye Cookery, is briefly stated, 
and accurate: 

"In making jams, the fruit should be carefully cleaned 
and thoroughly bruised, as mashing it before cooking pre- 
vents it from becoming hard. Boil fifteen or twenty min- 
utes before adding the sugar, as the flavor of the fruit is 
better preserved in this way; allow three-quarters of a 
pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and then boil half an 
hour longer. Jams require almost constant stirring, and 
every housekeeper should be provided with a small paddle 
with its handle at right angles to the blade (similar to an 
apple-butter " stirrer," only smaller), to be used in making 
jams and marmalades. 

"To tell when any jam or marmalade is sufficiently 
cooked, take out some o* it on a plate and let it cool. If 
no juice or moisture gathers about it, and it looks dry and 
glistening, it is done thoroughly. Put up in glass or "small 



396 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

stone jars, and seal or secure like jellies. Keep jellies and 
jams in a cool, dry and dark place." 

Currant Jam. 

"Pick from the stems and wash thoroughly with the 
hands ; put into a preserving kettle, and boil fifteen or 
twenty minutes, stirring often, and removing any scum that 
rises. Then add sugar in the proportion of three-fourths 
of a pound of sugar to one pound fruit ; or by measure, 
one coffee-cup of sugar to one pint mashed fruit ; boil 
thirty minutes longer, stirring almost constantly. When 
done, pour in small jars or glasses, and either seal or secure 
like jelly, by first pressing down, close on the fruit, paper 
cut to fit the glasses, and then covering with larger papers, 
brushed on the inside with white of egg, and the edges 
turned down over the outside of the glass." 

Gooseberry Jam. 

" Stew the berries in a little water, press through a coarse 
sieve, and return to the kettle, adding three-fourths of a 
pound of sugar to each pound of the pulped gooseberry. 
Boil three-quarters of an hour^ stirring constantly ; pour in 
jars or bowls, and cover, as directed for currant jam." 

Grape or Plum Jam. 

" Stew in a little water, and press the fruit through a 
colander or coarse sieve, adding a little more water to the 
plums to get all the pulp through ; then add the sugar, and 
finish as in other jams." 

Raspberry Jam. 

"Make by itself, or better, combined with currants, in 
the proportion of one-third currants to two-thirds raspber- 
ries ; mash the fruit well, and proceed as in currant jam." 



part iii.] jellies, jams and syrups. 397 

Strawberry and Blackberry Jams. 
Mash the fruit, and make the same as currant jam. 

Fruit Syrups. 
Fruit syrups may often be used instead of sugar, in the 
making of puddings, creams, cakes, etc.; in some of these 
dishes they are better than sugar ; they not only sweeten, 
they flavor, as well. You may seal in small jars or bottles 
when you make them, and open as they are wanted. 

Lemon Syrup. 

Squeeze the juice of sound lemons into a porcelain ket- 
tle, and add a pound and a half of sugar to a pint of juice. 
Bring the syrup to a boil over a moderate fire, simmer ten 
minutes, and then j>ut into small cans or bottles, and seal. 

The juice of oranges, with a little lemon juice added, may 
be made into syrup in the same way, except that less sugar 
is required ; a pound of sugar to a pint of juice is enough. 

Strawberry Syrup. 

Heat till the berries are soft, the same as for jelly ; then 
strain out the juice through, a clean cloth. Put this into a 
porcelain kettle, allow a pound of sugar to a pint of juice, 
and bring to a boil ; skim if necessary, boil moderately ten 
minutes, and seal in small cans or bottles. 

Other berries are made into syrup in the same way ; so 
are currants, seeded cherries, and other small fruits. 

Quince and Other Syrups. 
Make the same as jelly, only boil the syrup ten minutes 
instead of twenty ; then seal. Quinces, apples, peaches, 
etc., may be used. 

Mixed Syrups. 
Syrups of excellent flavor are made by mixing two differ- 
ent fruits together, as raspberries (red or black) and cur- 



398 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

rants, or raspberries and cherries. Or lemon juice may be 
added to apple or other fruit juice. Pine-apple is a fine 
addition to many of the fruits ; but it is rather expensive 
for general use. 

RIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS. 

There is nothing in all the food products that can begin 
to compare, either in beauty of form or color, or in rich- 
ness of flavor, with those rare gifts of the earth which we 
call, " Fruits." So exquisite are they in rounded outlines 
and tinted hues, to say nothing of their fineness of texture, 
that no artist can truly represent them ; they are indeed 
" painted by the sun." And the delicate aroma of some of 
them, is scarcely more than equaled by the perfume of the 
choicest flowers. They appeal to our aesthetic nature, and 
at the same time gratify the appetite, with a fine delicacy of 
flavor that does not belong to the strictly vegetable prod- 
ucts. When perfect in growth and fully ripe, they are 
indeed luscious. 

By all means, let us have the choice fruits on our tables. 
What is more inviting, or more ornamental on the well- 
spread board, than fruits and flowers tastefully arranged 
with green leaves? And what more healthful than ripe 
fruits, each in its season, eaten with good bread, and the 
well-cooked grains? These alone (the fruits and grains), 
once they find their proper place at our tables, will send 
into hopeless obscurity the venders of " anti-bilious pills." 

The following slip from the Buckeye Cookery, may be ap- 
propriately cited here : 

"The arrangement of fresh fruits for the table affords 
play for the most cultivated taste, and not a little real 
inventive genius. Melons, oranges, and indeed all kinds of 
fruits, are appropriate breakfast dishes ; and a raised 
center-piece of mixed fruits, furnishes a delicious dessert, 






PART III.] EIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS. 399 

and is an indispensable ornament to an elegant dinner- 
table." 

Fiiuts, as a rule (as elsewhere explained), should never be 
eaten at the same meal with vegetables; in weak stomachs 
especially, these are inclined to quarrel with each other. It 
is better therefore to banish fruit entirely from all " vege- 
table dinners " — though for invalids it is sometimes pref- 
erable to banish the vegetables, and retain the fruits. In 
other words, a dinner simply of fruits and grains, or grain 
preparations, is often better for dyspeptic stomachs, than 
one in which vegetables proper form part of the repast. 

But for further hints on this subject, the reader is re- 
ferred to the chapter on Food Combinations. 

Apples. 

Apples, in our northern climates, stand at the head of all 
the fruits; they are grown in abundance, in many of the 
States; and with proper care, they will remain good and sound 
for more than half the year. Some varieties will keep till 
June, or even later; and with a sufficiently low temperature, 
as in an ice-house, they have been preserved much longer. 
The flavor of the apple is much improved by keeping the 
tree in good condition; judicious pruning is needed, to let 
in the sunlight, and to prevent over-bearing. Eipe apples 
are wholesome, nutritious, and to the normal appetite, pal- 
atable. Children are always fond of them — as they are in- 
deed of all the fruits; and it seems a pity that they can 
not have them in abundance. And if children of a larger 
growth, would in the morning on sitting down to table, 
" break the fast " by eating a good fine apple, there would 
be fewer liver complaints, and headaches. — But, says one, 
"Fruits do not agree with me, and especially apples; they 
make me sick." A frank confession, this, that there is so 
much bile in the liver that the presence of acid fruits at 
once starts it to flowing, and causes nausea, or other un- 



400 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

pleasant feelings. Or perhaps you are a drinker of tea and 
coffee; and these, as is their wont, are " quarreling " with the 
apples. Or the greasy foods, it may be, do not go well with 
the acids. There is a great deal in the sort of company in 
which these foods are found; one worthless companion will 
often demoralize the whole lot. 

Apples do their best work, eaten at or before breakfast; 
or they may form a part of the mid-day meal, provided the 
latter consists of bread and other cereals, to be eaten with 
fruits. If of good variety and in fair condition, they need 
no further preparation than wiping with a damp cloth, to 
remove any dust that may have lodged on them. Do not 
rub them till they shine, as this not only detracts from their 
appearance, but it arouses an unpleasant suspicion that you 
may have bought them of the man at the corner, who is in 
the habit of " polishing up " his apples by rubbing them on 
the knee of his breeches. Place them in an open fruit 
basket or other receiver, taking care to display their bright 
rosy cheeks, with stems and blossom ends not altogether 
out of sight. 

Oranges and apples mixed (the latter of handsome hue), 
make a fine combination of color; a few sprigs of green 
leaves, tucked in here and there, will heighten the effect. 

Peaches. 

There is every variety of peach in our markets, from the 
little green snarl, bitter as quinine, to the great lucious 
fruit, ripe and rosy, but too often kept in the stalls or in 
transitu, until its natural flavor is gone, and a sharp, dis- 
greeable acid has taken its place. Peaches, of all fruits, 
lose their exquisitely fine, flavor by becoming stale. If 
fresh and ripe, and otherwise of good quality, they require 
nothing to make them palatable except paring; hardly that, 
as the best of the fruit lies directly under the skin. Ar- 
range them tastefully in your basket or fruit dish, showing 



PART IU.] RIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS. 401 

to advantage the pink and cream tints, or the mottled hues 
where a leaf has fallen, and intercepted the rays of that 
" royal arch " painter, the sun. Add a few bunches of 
glossy leaves from the tree, if they are at your command, 
and place the fruit on the table. 

If " peaches and cream " are the order of the evening, 
begin the work of paring as late as practicable, before the 
time of serving, as the fruit will discolor if it has to stand. 
Peel as thin as possible. And whatever you do, keep the 
sugar off it, for two good reasons; in the first place it will 
start the juices, discolor the fruit, and destroy the fine 
peach flavor; and instead of " fresh peaches and cream," 
you will have a bowl of brown, sloppy material, as unsightly 
as it is insipid. In the next place, if the fruit is rich and 
good, some will prefer it either without a dressing, or with 
cream only. Then see to it that the peaches are pared, 
stoned, and cut in eighths, not longer than half an hour be- 
fore supper ; set them on ice till they are wanted for 
the table; and after serving, pass round the cream and 
sugar, so that the guests can suit themselves. Served in 
this way, the color and flavor of the peaches are well pre- 
served. 

Pears and Plums. 

Pears are at once the poorest and the best of fruits; a 
few choice varieties, as the Seckel, Bartlett, and White 
Doyenne, are perfectly delicious; they are fine in texture, 
rich in flavor, and very juicy. There are others that com- 
pare favorably with these, and still others that are coarse, 
tough in the skin, and insipid. Pipe pears need no prepa- 
ration for the table, except care in the selection. They 
look well in the basket with peaches, and if you are fortu- 
nate enough to get hold of a few leaves, either from the 
pear or peach tree, they will set off the fruit to advantage. 

Plums of good flavor, if they are clean, ripe, and free 
from worms, are ready to be served. 



402 health in the household. [part iii. 

Oranges and Bananas. 

Oranges are best eaten by themselves, as they seem not to 
do well mixed with other fruit acids. Or they may be used as 
a dessert, at vegetable dinners. The banana is a very hearty 
fruit, and is better digested at the beginning of the meal; 
or at least on an empty stomach. If eaten at the end of a 
full meal, it often does not " set well." 

In winter or spring, when fruit is scarce, you can make 
up a very acceptable basket of fruit with oranges and 
bananas. Or if your purse will afford it, you may substi- 
tute for either, some California pears; or a few fine bunches 
of grapes, directly from the "Golden Gate "; they look 
well, laid over other fruit. 

Strawberries. 

The writer once ate strawberries in Aberdeen, Scotland, 
in the middle of September; and the market-women said 
they had had them steadily, since July. The berries were 
fully twice as large as any that come to our own markets — 
not quite as bright in color, or so highly flavored, but very 
good. 

The strawberries in our large cities, are often carted 
through the streets in open fruit boxes till they are pretty 
well sprinkled with dust, or fine sand; you may not see it 
on them, but you will find the grit between your teeth, when 
you eat them; and the only alternative is to remove it by 
careful washing. If you live in the country, or a country 
village, you may be spared this trouble ; and the berries 
will lose nothing in flavor. In that case, all that is needed, 
provided they are fully ripe, is to cap them, put in a fruit 
dish, and send to the table; if a little firm however, remove 
the caps half an hour before serving, and sprinkle a trifle 
of sugar over them; just enough to start the juice. 

But in the city, where you get the dust-covered berries 



PAET III.] RIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS. 403 

of tlie market, you had better set them in a cool clean place, 
until about an hour before they are wanted ; then turn the 
fruit into a colander, run the water rapidly over it, and 
drain thoroughly before removing the caps. Put it into a 
glass dish, sprinkle lightly with sugar, and set in the refrig- 
erator till called for. If not sweet enough to suit every 
one, the sugar can be passed with the berries. 

The above directions presuppose that the fruit is to be 
served in its own rich juice ; that is, without cream. Cream 
is rather a bad dressing for strawberries, any way you take 
it; in the first place, it curdles the moment it touches them, 
rendering the dish unsightly. In the next place, it destroys 
their fine flavor, by forming with them a mixture somewhat 
akin to sour milk, in taste. And lastly, it is apt to cause 
disturbance, in stomachs not proof against the combined 
effects of milk, acid and sugar. If, however, nothing will 
do but " strawberries and cream," keep the sugar off till the 
berries are served ; then pass it, along with the cream — 
trusting that the eater will see the necessity of " prompt- 
ness and dispatch," before the fruit is converted into a 
shapeless mass of curds and whey. . 

Kaspberries, Blackberries and Dewberries. 

These fruits, gathered fresh from the vines, need little 
preparation except to pick out an occasional stem, or over- 
ripe berry. Put them into a glass dish and serve, sending 
the sugar, the whipped cream, or cream and sugar. When 
fully ripened, the fruit is good enough by itself. 

Currants. 

Currants turn red long before they are ripe; in this con- 
dition, they are good only for cooking. To be fit for table 
use, they should have the benefit of many days' ripening in 
the warm sunshine; then they are delicious, eaten from the 

stems. And as if to invite us to " pluck and eat," they hang 
27 



404 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III, 

long on the bushes, refusing to fall, or go to waste; the 
very end of the season, when they are red, ripe and lus- 
cious, gives us the best. Unfortunately, the " heathen round 
about" find them, long before they reach this period of 
perfect ripeness, strip them from the stems, and make them 
into jelly. Indeed, the bushes are usually bare, very soon 
after the fruit reddens. 

If served at table in the raw state, the usual method is 
to gather the currants as ripe as possible (or get them from 
the markets), wash well in a colander, and pick carefully 
from the stems ; then put them into a glass dish, and 
sprinkle fairly with sugar. It is well to do this half an 
hour before you eat them; when the sugar is added, stir it 
well through the fruit ; and if the currants are partly 
crushed, it will make them all the more juicy. Set them in 
the ice-chest or other cool place, till wanted. Cream is 
sometimes served with them ; but if the fruit is at all 
broken, it makes a curdled mixture. 

Raspberries and Currants. 

Raspberries and currants are excellent mixed— either 
half and half, or two to three parts raspberries, to one of 
currants picked from the stems. The only dressing they 
need, is a little sugar; though cream would suit them very 
much better than it does strawberries. A good way is to 
take equal parts currants and raspberries, half crushing the 
latter ; then sweeten to taste, stir well together, and serve. 

Gooseberries. 

Gooseberries, properly cultivated, are really a very fine 
fruit. In Scotland and England, where they are grown to 
perfection, and where the soil and climate are adapted to 
their highest culture, they are of numerous varieties, and 
are very large and luscious. If fresh and ripe, they are 
hardly surpassed by the choicest of the small fruits. In 



PART III.] RIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS. 405 

this country they do not grow to half the size, and the 
flavor is very different. The quality of the fruit here could 
be greatly improved, by keeping the bushes well trimmed ; 
this would give fewer berries, but much larger ; and it 
would let in the sunshine, without which no fruit is perfect. 
Gooseberries are finest in flavor when not overripe; drop 
them into cold water fifteen minutes, then drain, and send 
to the table in a glass dish. They are eaten from the stems, 
rejecting the skins. 

Huckleberries. 

Huckleberries rarely appear in our western markets; and 
still more rarely in good condition. Those who have eaten 
them on their native hills, in the Eastern and Middle States, 
say that they are excellent served without a condiment, and 
very good with cream and sugar. 

Cherries. 

Cherries are a beautiful fruit; and nicely arranged, they 
make a fine ornament for the table. Pick them in bunches, 
a few leaves with them, if possible, and arrange with flow- 
ers, in a basket. Pass the latter to the guests, and let them 
pick out the cherries ; or if you like, fill the basket with 
button-hole bouquets, and bunches of cherries ; the latter 
heaped in the center, and the flowers arranged around the 
border. 

Sweet cherries, which are usually white or cream-colored, 
with a little blush, are generally favorites; though there are 
other varieties with a rich, sub-acid flavor, that are fine when 
fully ripe. In preparing them for the table, see that there 
are no wormy ones. 

Grapes. 

Grapes, fully ripe, and fresh from the vines, are ready 
for eating ; but by the time they reach the city markets, 
they are covered with well-trodden plebeian dust. This 



406 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIT. 

must of course be washed off, even though we detract from 
the exquisite beauty of the fruit, by destroying in a meas- 
ure that indescribable covering, the "bloom," which no 
artist can ever hope to paint. 

The best thing to do with them, when the bunches come 
heated, and laden with dust, is to drop them into cold 
water — ice-water, if you have it — and let them stand ten to 
fifteen minutes, before serving. Then lay the bunches 
loosely, on a wide but shallow glass dish; or, arrange them 
with other fruit, as pears or peaches, by filling a dish with 
the latter, and laying the grapes on top. They are fine, 
eaten the first thing at the breakfast table, particularly "on 
a warm morning. 

Fresh Figs. 

Fresh figs and fresh dates, are said to be very good, eaten 
either without a dressing, or with milk or cream; but since 
we rarely see them in this climate, there is little opportunity 
to know much about them, either as to quality, flavor, or 
modes of serving. 

Frosted Fruit. 

Take fine bunches of currants, and dip them, one at a 
time, into the beaten white of an egg, moistening the en- 
tire surface of the fruit. Then roll each bunch in powdered 
sugar, and lay them a little apart, on an inverted sieve, on 
which has been placed a clean white paper. Put them into 
an oven, slightly warm, or on top of the stove, to dry. 
Cherries on their stems, and in clusters if you can get them, 
are beautiful, prepared in the same way. Or you may take 
plums, grapes or apricots, dip each into the egg, and lay a 
little apart on the paper; then sift the sugar over them, 
and dry as before. 

Fruits frosted in this manner, are used for garnishing 
cakes, and other dessert dishes; or they may be tastefully 
arranged in a dish by themselves, or with other fruit. 



PART in.] VEGETABLES. 407 

VEGETABLES. 

Full directions have already been given in Part II., for 
cooking vegetables in the hygienic way; if seasonings are 
wanted, as salt, sugar, etc., the cook will have no trouble in 
adding them to suit the taste; though in a sanitary point of 
view, the foods would be better without these condiments. 

All then that is needed in Part ILT., on cooking vege- 
tables, is to give in general terms the best methods of boil- 
ing, baking, stewing, etc., along with the little " finishing " 
with either milk or cream, that makes the hygienic dishes 
more acceptable to the ordinary palate. As elsewhere 
stated, the flavors natural to these products should neither 
be soaked out, nor burnt out; nor should the vegetables be 
half cooked, nor yet "cooked to death"; but each should 
have its own intrinsic goodness carefully preserved, and 
individualized. What is known as modern cookery, might 
very properly be styled, "The art of spoiling foods"; their 
essence is wasted in preparing and cooking them, after 
which a feeble atonement is attempted, by adding pungent 
and stimulating condiments, the effect of which is to cover 
up the otherwise obvious " flatness," and to tickle and de- 
ceive the palate. 

It will be observed, that about the only dressing named 
in the following recipes for vegetables, is a little cream — to 
which it may be objected, that this article is not always to 
be had; and rarely in abundance. The objection is not 
well taken, as the lawyers say; in the first place, it is only 
"a little " that is wanted; and in the next place, the disuse 
of butter — were it general — would afford all the cream that 
is required; for the latter is necessarily consumed in 
making the former. However, if the people must hove 
butter, and can not afford to provide the cream, then they 
will simply have to substitute the one for the other, in the 
recipes here given; that is, for "cream," read, "fresh but- 
ter," using it sparingly. 



408 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Most vegetables can either be cooked in a closed steamer 
(one with flues in the sides, instead of holes in the bottom), 
or boiled in a kettle; if a steamer is used, the water in the 
pot below must be kept at a fast boil. Some vegetables, as 
turnips or tomatoes, should never be put into an iroii 
vessel ; it is well to keep a porcelain-lined kettle for these. 

Potatoes. 

The potato may be called the king of vegetables, as 
wheat is chief among grains. It perhaps more nearly sup- 
plies all the wants of the body, giving the fluids and solids 
in the right proportions, than almost any other of the vege- 
tables proper. It is a great misfortune that this tuber is 
handled in such a reckless manner, both before and after 
it comes into the hands of the cook; the individual just 
named, soaks out its nutritive substance before it goes into 
the pot; then she boils it in a large quantity of water, and 
wastes another portion; lastly, she saturates it most thor- 
oughly with salt and other condiments, to disguise the 
insipid taste that necessarily follows such wasteful man- 
agement. 

Potatoes, unless they are very muddy, should be peeled 
before washing, and the latter process should be gone 
through with very quickly; if washed first, you have either 
to dry them with a cloth before peeling, or else wash again, 
afterward. 

There are almost endless ways of cooking potatoes, the 
principal of which are to bake, boil, or stew; and though 
these and other methods have already been pointed out in 
Part II., it has been thought best to go over the ground 
again, in Part III. 

Boiled Potatoes. 4j= 

Peel, wash quickly, lifting the potatoes immediately out of 
the water, and then drop them into the pot; have the water 



TART III.] VEGETABLES. 409 

boiling, and not much more than will cook them. Cover, 
and boil fast; and the very moment you can run a fork 
through the largest, drain as dry as possible, keeping the 
lid on to hold in the steam; this must not escape. Set the 
pot back on the stove, where it will keep hot without scorch- 
ing in the bottom; and do not uncover till you dish the 
potatoes for the table; always keep them in their own hot 
steam till wanted; they will evaporate sufficiently on your 
j)late. When cooked in a light stew-pan, with a handle, 
and a closely-fitting lid, it is a good plan to shake them 
(covered) after draining. If the cook has learned how to 
" time " her vegetables, she will put the potatoes in the pot 
just twenty minutes before she rings the bell for dinner; 
then they will not have to stand, after they are done. When 
all is ready, dish them into a hot tureen, cover quickly, and 
send to the table; and in helping your guests, always close 
it between servings, removing the spoon; this keeps the 
potatoes hot to the end. 

If they are sunburnt, and therefore strong in flavor, you 
will have to take off rather a thick paring, and boil in more 
water. 

Mashed Potatoes. ={£ 

Peel, wash, and boil the potatoes, the same as in the pre- 
ceding, taking care to drain off all the water, the moment 
that the fork enters them easily. Then mash till there are 
no lumps, and stir with a fork till the potato is light and 
flaky; do this quickly, with the pot over the fire. Then 
dish lightly into a hot tureen, filling it not too full, cover, 
and send directly to the table. In serving begin at one 
side, and cut with the spoon to the bottom, each time; this 
leaves the rest of the potato undisturbed, and therefore hot. 
Cover between servings, always taking the spoon out before 
vou lav on the lid. 



410 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

Potatoes in Jackets. 4j= 

Potatoes cooked in their skins must not be sunburnt. 
Wash them quickly but carefully, trimming on: any gashed 
or imperfect spots on the surface, and clipping a small bit 
from each end. At the proper moment drop into boiling 
water, and the instant the fork goes rather easily through 
them, drain closely, keeping the lid on; then set the pot 
back in a hot place, tightly closed. If the skins have not 
already cracked in boiling, you may half crush each potato 
in a napkin, as you lay it into the hot tureen. Put on the 
cover, which should also be heated, and send to the table. 

Baked Potatoes. =j£ 

Wash the potatoes thoroughly but quickly, so as not to 
water-soak them; trim off any defects, and bake in a good 
steady oven till you can crush them, but not a moment longer. 
It will require usually thirty to fifty minutes, according to 
size, variety, and heat of oven. Baked potatoes should be 
sent to the table as soon as done; if that is impracticable, 
crush each one in the hand (holding it in a clean napkin) 
till you break the skin, and permit the steam within it to 
escape. Then put them into a hot dish, uncovered, and set 
in a warm place till wanted. 

Baked Potatoes. — (Peeled.)^ 

Peel, and then wash, doing the latter very quickly ; trim 
off imperfect spots, and pare out the " eyes/' if they are 
deep. Lay the potatoes on a clean grate in the oven, and 
bake, browning a little (but not burning or blistering), till 
you can crush each in the hand, holding it in a clean napkin. 
They are extra good, baked in this way ; and old potatoes 
are usually too strong to bake in any other. 



PART in.] VEGETABLES. 411 

Stewed Potatoes. 

Pare and quarter, or cut into thick slices; or if the pota- 
toes are small, into halves. Drop into boiling water, having 
scarcely more than will cook them, and boil rapidly till a 
fork will pierce them easily; do not cook too long. If there 
is more than a spoonful of water remaining, lift the lid, and 
let it evaporate ; then add half a cup of new milk (cream, if 
you have it), thickened with a little flour; some add a trifle 
of chopped parsley with the milk. Stir once, and after two 
or three minutes dish into a hot tureen. 

Old potatoes, a little strong, are good cooked in this way. 

New Potatoes. 

If the potatoes are newly dug, wash quickly in cold water 
and slip off the skins. If they have been out of the 
ground some days, you will need to scrape them with a 
knife ; and if your market-man has kept them in the light till 
they are no longer milk-white, but a little greenish under 
the skin, you may have to peel them in the regular way. 
Then drop into boiling water, just enough to cook them, 
provided they are fresh from the field; a little more water, 
if they are slightly sunburnt; boil fast. When a fork will 
go through them, drain thoroughly, and add half a cup 
of milk (cream is better) thickened with a trifle of flour; 
cover, bring to a boil, and dish. 

Creamed Potato. 

Peel, wash quickly, drop into boiling water, and cook 
only till a fork will go through the largest. Then drain off 
every particle of water, and set the pot back on a hot part 
of the stove. Mash rapidly and very thoroughly, leaving 
no lumps; then stir with a fork. Have ready and hot a 
part of a cup of cream, or good new milk; pour this into 
the potato, and whip again with the fork, making the mass 



412 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III.. 

light and flaky. Dish immediately, and as lightly as possible, 
into a hot tureen, not filling it so full as to jam the potato; 
then put on the cover, and send to the table. 

Another way is, after adding the cream, to beat in the 
white of an egg whipped to a good froth, then heap the 
potato lightly on a dish, and set it in the oven long enough 
to crust a little on the surface. 

Potato Snow. 

Peel potatoes that are very dry and mealy, and drop into 
boiling water, having not much more than will cook them. 
Boil pretty fast; and as soon as a fork will go through them 
drain ofl all the water, and mash over the fire till there are 
no lumps. Then rub the potato through a coarse wire 
sieve, or a colander with large holes, letting it fall into a hot 
dish in light spiral threads; do this as quickly as possible. 
When all is through, set the feathery mass into a quick 
oven two or three minutes, or just long enough to renew the 
heat without crusting. 

Potato Puff. 

Take one egg, one cup of cream or milk, and two cups of 
cold or hot potato; this must be mashed till there are no 
lumps. Beat the egg— some take only the white— stir the 
milk or cream into it, and then add the potato; beat all 
well together, pour into an oiled pudding-dish, and bake in 
a quick oven till the top is nicely browned. 

Browned Potato.^ 
Oil the bottom of a skillet with a bit of fresh butter, or 
with a little fat from clean beef dripping; a piece twice the 
size of a hazel nut is enough. Slice cold potatoes pretty 
thin, and when the skillet is hot put them into it. Cover, 
and cook fast, but do not scorch them; no stirring is needed. 
As soon as they have browned on the bottom, turn them 



PAKT III. 



VEGETABLES. 413 



over with a knife, cover, and brown again; then dish, and 
serve immediately; they must not stand after the} are 
crusted. Properly done, the potatoes are light and naky 
with crisp brown edges, and free from grease; you can 
warm a dishful in ten minutes, if the lire is just right. 
Cold mashed potato can be warmed over in the same way. 

Hashed Potato. 

Put a skillet or stew-pan where it will get warm ; oil the 
bottom of it slightly with fresh dripping or butter, hash the 
cold potatoes into it, and then put in half a cup (more or 
less) of milk or thin cream. Cover closely, heat rather 
slowly, and stir once or twice. In ten to fifteen minutes the 
milk will have disappeared, and the potato will be heated 
all through, and ready for serving. 

Sweet Potatoes. 

Sweet and Irish potatoes are often injured by wet 
weather, before they are dug. When you see the little 
sprouts coming out all over them, you will take note ; the 
potatoes will be either watery, or sticky; if you snap off 
the ends, you will find them slightly discolored inside ; and 
often there is a dark deposit all over the tubers, lying just 
under the skin. This substance is very indigestible, and 
unwholesome; it is most conspicuous after the potatoes are 
boiled ; if you find it, remove, by peeling carefully after 
boiling, before you brown them in the oven. 

Boiled Sweet Potatoes.^ 
Select potatoes of nearly uniform size; wash well, drop 
into boning water, and cook till a fork will go through them 
rather easily ; if boiled too long, they will be wet ; if too 
short a time, they will be harsh and tasteless. Have very 
little water in the pot when done ; none at all is better. If 
the potatoes are the least damaged by rains, peel after boil- 



414 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

ing; you will see and remove the dark layer on the surface, 
as you turn back the skins; then brown in a hot oven, ten 
to fifteen minutes. Do this very faithfully, and you will be 
amply rewarded by the rich fine flavor of the potatoes. 

If you have more than will be eaten, do not peel or 
brown them; next day remove the skins, and lay in a hot 
oven; they will be quite as good as at first. Cold sweet po- 
tatoes are excellent peeled, mashed, and then browned. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes. 

If you bake, the potatoes must be free from that dark 
bitter deposit, which comes from soaking rains. Wash well, 
and trim if necessary; then bake in a good oven, till you 
can crush them by pressing between the thumb and fingers. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes. 

Wash, cover with ashes, and then with coals, and roast 
till done. Eat at picnic parties. 

Tomatoes. 

The tomato can be cooked in a great variety of ways, 
nearly all of which are palatable; and most persons are 
very fond of it without cooking. Dietetically, it belongs 
with vegetables, rather than with fruits. It is one of the 
most healthful of the garden products; like the acid fruits, 
it is a better " anti-bilious remedy " than all the " chola- 
gogues " in the drug shops. The only harmful ingredients 
about it (not in it) are the seasonings, as salt, pepper and 
sugar, that are too often added in the preparing. 

Sliced Tomatoes. 

Never buy an imported tomato, or melon ; have them 
fresh, or do without them. Wash, peel without scalding, 
and slice thin into the dish from which you serve ; the 



PAKT III.] VEGETABLES. 415 

knife should have a thin blade, and a keen edge. Set in 
the ice-chest half an hour, if you want the tomatoes cold. 

Stewed Tomatoes. 4(= 

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, and the moment 
the skins will slip, remove them; they must not remain in 
the water till soft. Then slice very thin into a porcelain 
kettle, and stir in a few bread-crumbs, fine and dry; these 
must be put in while the tomatoes are cold, else the bread 
will become clammy; there should be enough to thicken a 
little— say a cup of crumbs to a quart of tomatoes. If you 
have no bread, use rolled crackers, or a little thickening 
made of Graham or white flour, and milk or water. Stew 
moderately (fast cooking ruins the sauce) for an hour and a 
half, or until perfectly smooth ; stir often. If any season- 
ing is wanted, add before dishing, a spoonful of thick 
cream to a quart of sauce, or a bit of fresh butter the size 
of a walnut. 

Canned tomatoes may be used instead of fresh ; and the 
thickening can be omitted, if desired. Or you may mix to- 
gether one part coarse crumbs from Graham loaf, and three 
or four parts tomatoes, and stew as before. 

Tomato Toast. 

Stew the tomatoes till smooth, and then pour them over 
nicely toasted slices of good home-made Graham bread, un- 
sweetened. 

Scrambled Tomatoes. 4£ 

Select tomatoes not overripe, peel without scalding, and 
cut into rather coarse bits. Add about two-thirds the quan- 
tity of bread-crumbs, good home-made Graham loaf ; have 
the bread stale, and the crumbs not very fine. Put all into 
a porcelain kettle, add a bit of fresh butter or a spoonful of 
cold gravy, and cover till the tomatoes are hot ; then stir 



416 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

lightly every half minute till finished ; it will take five to 
eight minutes, according to quantity. Lift from the fire as 
soon as done. This is a good dish, easily and quickly 
made. 

Scalloped Tomatoes. 4£ 

Scald, peel and slice, and if not very ripe, chop them. 
Then fill an earthen dish, well oiled, with alternate layers of 
tomatoes and bread-crumbs, beginning and ending with the 
tomatoes ; use good Graham loaf, stale and home-made. 
Moisten each layer of crumbs with a spoonful of cream, or 
meat gravy; or if you have not these, dot the tomatoes with 
little bits of fresh butter. Cover, and bake in a moderate 
oven an hour and a half ; longer, if the scallop is large. 
Brown at the end. 

Another. — Fill the dish with successive layers of toma- 
toes, crumbs, and cold beef or mutton, the latter finely 
hashed, and moistened with a little cold gravy or meat 
juice, if you have it. Begin and end with the tomatoes ; 
make the scallop pretty thick, and bake in a moderate oven 
all of two hours. Canned tomatoes may be substituted for 
fresh; if canned ones are used, drain off the liquor before 
arranging the layers, and take it to moisten the crumbs. 

Baked Tomatoes. 

Mix together one part bread-crumbs, not too fine, and 
three or four parts sliced tomatoes; stew in a porcelain 
kettle half to three-quarters of an hour, cooking moderately, 
and stirring very little. Then add a trifle of cream or fresh 
butter, or a spoonful or two of cold meat gravy (sweet) 
from the bottom of your dripping-bowl; pour into an earthen 
or granitized iron pan, well oiled, and bake, covered, one hour; 
longer, if you like the dish rather dry, making it a sort of 
tomato bread. 

Another way is to mix as before, and bake without stew- 



PABT III.] VEGETABLES. 417 

ing; cover the pan, and bake in a good oven from one to 
two ho ill's. 

Broiled Tomatoes. 

Tomatoes are sometimes broiled, by holding the slices 
between the wires of an oyster-broiler until the surface is 
slightly browned. Or you may lay them into a skillet, well 
oiled, and smoking hot; when one side is seared, turn and 
brown the other. 

Stuffed Tomatoes. 

Scald the tomatoes (not too long), and remove the skins; 
then slice off the blossom ends, and take out the inside; 
chop this fine, and add grated bread-crumbs, moistened 
with milk or cream; some use butter, or cold beef gravy. 
Or you may omit the milk or cream, and add to the crumbs 
and tomato, half or two-thirds the quantity of finely hashed 
beef or mutton ; moisten the meat with a spoonful of cold 
gravy, if you have it. Fill the hollow tomatoes with this 
dressing, and replace the top slices; then arrange in an 
earthen or granitized iron pan, pack the dressing that re- 
mains between them, and bake, covered, forty to fifty 
minutes. 

Another way is to fill the tomatoes with a force-meat 
made of crumbs, tomatoes, and grated green corn, in about 
equal quantities; stir in a little cream, butter or dripping 
before filling, and bake as before. 

Still another method, is to take chopped cabbage instead 
of corn, and a chopped onion (parboiled) if you like it. Mix 
with the tomato, and moisten with cold gravy or sweet 
cream; then fill and bake. 

Potatoes and Tomatoes. 

Peel some potatoes, slice them into a porcelain kettle, and 
stew in a very little water, ten minutes, then add one-third as 
many peeled and sliced tomatoes; these should be peeled 



418 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III 

without scalding, and should not be more than half ripe. 
Stir together, and cook ten to fifteen minutes longer, adding 
a spoonful of cream, cold gravy, or a small bit of fresh 
butter, three minutes before taking the kettle from the fire. 

Boiled Green Corn-4j= 

The evergreen corn, of which Stowell's is a variety, is the 
best; and by means of successive plantings, one can have 
it almost continuously from July to the coming of frost. To 
be sweet and luscious, the ears must be newly gathered from 
the field; like green peas, much of their sweetness is gone 
in a single night. After the evergreen, the next best is the 
white or yellow "flint." The ears should be so young and 
tender, that the milk will spurt from the grains, when they 
are pressed on and broken. 

Having removed the husks and silks, drop the ears into 
boiling water, not more than will cover them, and boil 
twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until the milk is fully set. 
Then lift out with a fork, and drop into a basin of cold 
water, letting them remain in it a minute or two; this will 
make the hulls more tender. Then lay the corn into a tureen, 
cover, and send to the table. If before eating, you split 
the grains half their depth by drawing a sharp knife down 
the rows, the kernels will slip out (provided the corn is not 
too old), leaving the hulls on the cob. 

Stewed Green Corn.ij^ 

Select ears that are young enough for the milk to escape 
in a jet, when the grain is pierced; always get the evergreen, 
if you can. Remove the husks and silks, and split the rows 
half the depth of the grain, with a thin sharp knife. Then 
scrape out the pulp, beginning at the large and scraping to 
the small end of the ear; this leaves nearly or quite all the 
hulls on the cob. Put the scraped-out corn into a tin or 
porcelain kettle, add a very little water, and set it over the 






PART HI.] VEGETABLES. 419 

fire; cook rapidly, Stirling all the time; it will be done in 
ten minutes. Just at the last, stir in a trifle of cream, or 
good sweet milk — say half a cup to a pint of pulp — heat a 
moment and turn into the tureen. This is an excellent dish, 
and very good without any seasoning, even the milk. 
Try it. 

Corn cut from the Cob.4(= 

When you have husked and silked the ears, take a sharp 
thin knife and shave off the tip ends of the grains, throw- 
ing them away. Then cut the corn, slicing (or rather shav- 
ing) as thin as you can, till you come near the cob; then 
with a dull knife scrape out the rest; it must not be too 
old; simply the grains well filled. Put it into a tin or por- 
celain kettle, add about a cup of boiling water to a quart of 
cut corn, and stew, covered, fifteen to twenty minutes; stir 
frequently; then add half a cup of cream, and let it come 
just to a boil, stirring once from the bottom. Dish, and 
serve. 

If you have no cream, add a little new milk, or sweet 
butter. 

Corn and Tomatoes. =|£ 

Peel and slice the tomatoes, and stew moderately half an 
hour, in a porcelain or granitized iron kettle. Then add an 
equal quantity of green com, cut from the cob as in the 
last recipe. Stew another half hour, stirring frequently 
and cover the kettle between times. When done, stir in a 
little cream or milk; x>t if you have neither, add a small bit 
of fresh butter, and heat a moment ; then dish into the 
tureen Do not serve too hot. 

Baked Sweet Corn. 

Split the grains with a sharp knife, and scrape out the 
pulp; always scrape from the large to the small end of the 
ear. The corn must be voung and tender, or the hulls will 
28 



420 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

come off. Pour it into an oiled pudding-dish, cover, and 
set in the oven; cook ten to fifteen minutes, stirring once 
or twice. Then stir in half a cup of cream or milk (more 
or less, according to quantity of corn), and send to the 
table. A good dish, quickly made. 

Cabbage. 4£ 

Bemove the outer leaves, and lay the cabbage into cold 
water half an hour; if the head is not compact, shake and 
rinse it well, and be sure there are no insects between the 
leaves. Cut it in halves, and with a sharp thin knife shave 
it in slices as thin and flaky as possible; slice from the 
center of the head (beginning with the stalk) to the surface. 
Do not chop. You can steam or boil, as is most convenient. 

If you boil, put the cabbage into a porcelain kettle, or 
very clean pot (never in a tin or copper-bottomed vessel), 
and add only enough boiling water to cook it; cover closely, 
boil fast till tender, and not a moment longer. Cabbage 
overdone, is insipid; and if cooked slowly, it is stringy and 
watery. Watch that it does not scorch; if water has to be 
added, put it in boiling hot. A head of medium size 
(sliced), will cook in thirty minutes. When done lift the lid, 
stir from the bottom to let the water all evaporate, and then 
add a very little thick sweet cream ; stir again, moistening 
the cabbage all through, and lift quickly from the fire ; there 
must be no puddles of cream and water in the bottom. 
Dish immediately, and leave the tureen uncovered five to 
ten minutes (cabbage is better not too hot), and you will 
have something good, and digestible — provided you have a 
good cabbage to begin with; those grown on some soils are 
strong to the taste, no matter how you cook them. 

Cabbage and Tomatoes. 

Cook as in the last, and at the same time stew in a sepa- 
rate kettle some tomatoes, peeled and sliced. When the 



PART III.] VEGETABLES. 421 

cabbage is just done, turn the tomatoes in with them, and 
stir all together; have about half as much tomato as cab- 
bage. Then stir in a little cream if you have it, and dish 
immediately; or you may add half a spoonful of fresh but- 
ter, when you put in the tomatoes; though the vegetables 
are good enough without seasoning. 

Cauliflower.^ 

Be sure you do not buy the stale article; if fresh, the 
flowers will be a clear white. See that there are no insects; 
after soaking in cold water fifteen to twenty minutes, put the 
asparagus into a porcelain kettle, add a little boiling water, 
and stew till tender. If the water gets too low, add a little 
more, boiling hot ; this vegetable will require from thirty 
to forty minutes to cook, according to size and age. When 
done, drain off the water, if more than a spoonful remains; 
then add a little thick sweet cream — or such as you have — 
stir well from the bottom, and dish into the tureen. Leave 
the cover off a few minutes before sending to the table ; 
these tender vegetables are more delicate in flavor, if served 
not too warm. 

The French people cook cauliflower as follows : Boil it till 
tender in clear water, enough to cook it ; then drain. In 
another vessel stew two or three tomatoes, till quite soft ; 
strain these through a sieve or colander, return to the fire, 
and thicken with a very little flour wet with milk or water ; 
add a small bit of fresh butter, and after cooking a few 
minutes, pour the sauce over the vegetable. This is a very 
good dish. 

Asparagus. 4^= 

If you raise your own asparagus, cut it (or snap it off 
just below the ground) every other morning. Then all you 
have to do is to wash it, put it into a porcelain kettle, and 
about cover with boiling water; stew twenty-five to thirty 



422 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

minutes, and it is ready to dish* the stalks will be tender 
throughout. 

If you buy in the city market, wash well, cut off the hard 
woody fiber, or part of it, scrape the rest, and soak it 
some minutes in very cold water. Then lay the stalks into 
a porcelain kettle, cover with boning water, and cook forty 
minutes, or until tender. When done, have ready some 
slices of good hot toast, made of stale home-made Graham 
loaf ; dip these quickly into boiling water, and spread them 
on a platter ; then lift out the asparagus, and lay it on. 
Now stir into the asparagus liquor two or three table- 
spoonfuls of cream, thickened a little with flour ; let this 
just begin to boil, pour it over the toast, and send to the 
table. Cold biscuits, split open and toasted, may be used 
instead of loaf bread. 

Many like young asparagus simply boiled, and served 
without a dressing. 

Green Peas. 4}= 

The time of cooking these will vary, and so will the 
sweetness, according to age and variety ; twenty-five to 
thirty minutes is usually long enough for young peas, just 
from the garden ; if older, it may take from forty to forty- 
five minutes. They should be pulled as soon as (almost be- 
fore) they are of full size; and if not cooked the same day, 
much of their sweetness will be lost. When newly gathered, 
the little stems are green and fresh. 

Shell the peas, and either cook without washing, blowing 
out the shriveled blossoms, or wash as quickly as possible, 
in cold water. Then put them into a porcelain kettle, add 
half or two-thirds of a pint of boiling water to a quart of 
shelled peas, and stew slowly till tender. There should be 
a few spoonfuls of water left, when done ; then pour all out 
together, and serve without a dressing. Or if preferred, 
stir in a very little cream, thickened a trifle with flour; boil 



PART III.] VEGETABLES. 423 

up just a moment, and take from the fire. Serve in sauce 
dishes, and pass the teaspoons. 

If the pods are fresh and young, you may simmer them 
(or part of them) in a little water fifteen minutes, then 
drain it off, and use it for boiling the peas. Or you may 
drop a few of the tenderest pods in with them, and remove 
"before serving. 

Canned Peas. 

The best canned peas are the marrowfats; though a brand 
called the " Extra Early," is fine. Drain off the liquor, and 
throw it away; then put the peas into a porcelain kettle, 
stir in a little thickening of cream and flour, heat barely to 
boiling, and dish. 

Canned string beans are served in the same way. 

Okras. 

Pick the fresh, young okras, wash them, drop into boil- 
ing water, and cook until tender — in a porcelain kettle, 
as iron discolors; do not boil in too much water. When 
done drain off the little that remains, add part of a cup of 
fresh cream, or a bit of butter, stir once or twice, and lift 
from the fire. This is a plain but good dish, easily prepared 

String Beans. 4}= 

If you buy in the markets, beware of stale beans; exam 
ine the little stems, and see that they are green and fresh , 
not dry and half shriveled. String beans, to be good, must 
be cooked till thoroughly tender; most varieties require an 
hour and a half to two hours, particularly if they have been 
gathered two or three days, or longer. 

String them carefully, rejecting any imperfect ones, or 
blemished portions ; then snap into inch lengths, and wash 
well in cold water. Put them in a porcelain kettle, covei 
with boiling water, and cook steadily; test now and then, 



4:24 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

after an hour's time, to see if they are done ; too much 
cooking is as bad as too little. By all means do not let the 
pot go dry ; if you do, the beans will be worthless. If water 
is needed, have it boiling hot ; and add so sparingly that 
when done, there shall be scarcely more than a spoonful left 
in the bottom. If by chance too much has been put in, lift 
the lid a few minutes before finishing, stir occasionally, and 
let it evaporate. When the water is nearly all out, add, say 
a third of a cup of cream thickened with a little flour ; let 
this barely come to the boil, and then dish into the tureen. 
If you have no cream, a bit of fresh butter will answer ; 
but do not drown the beans in grease. After dishing let 
them stand with the cover off, for at least ten minutes, be- 
fore you send to the table; they are best not too warm. If 
there are some left over, never warm them, but serve cold. 

"Wax Beans. 41= 

This bean has a cream-colored pod; it is very tender and 
good, if cooked sufficiently. It has but little string, and 
that little can not be removed except with a knife; you can 
either go to this trouble to get rid of it, or leave it on. 
Break off the ends, and snap into bits an inch long; then 
wash, drop into boiling water, and cook till done; these 
beans bought in the market, often require two hours or two 
and a half, to boil tender; early in the season, if newly 
gathered, they will cook in less time. Finish with cream or 
butter, the same as the last, and serve warm, not hot. 

Shelled Beans. 4|= 

The time required to cook fresh shelled beans, will de- 
pend upon their age and variety; you may allow from forty 
to sixty minutes; and if they stand a few moments at the 
last, it will not injure them. Having finished the shelling, 
cover with boiling water, and cook moderately; if they 
threaten to go dry, add a little more, boiling hot. When 



PART in.] VEGETABLES. 425 

done the beans should be soft and juicy, but not broken. 
If any dressing is wanted, add a spoonful or two of cream, 
one minute before lifting from the fire. 

Lima and Butter Beans. =f£ 

Fresh Lima, or butter beans, are not good till they are 
full-grown, and white in color. Shell them, cover with 
boiling water, and cook till tender, but not till they are 
broken to pieces; they will require from forty to sixty min- 
utes. If they need more water, add it boiling; there should 
be only two or three spoonfuls in the kettle, when done; if 
too much, lift the lid at the last, stir a little, and let it 
about all evaporate. Then thicken, say a third of a cup of 
thin cream with a trifle of flour, stir it in, and boil up a 
moment before dishing into the tureen. There is no better 
way to cook Lima beans than this. 

Succotash. 4^ 

Succotash is best made of one part Lima beans, and two 
parts corn. Boil the beans over a moderate fire, as in the 
last recipe; cook nearly an hour or until tender, but not 
till they are broken. There must be only a moderate sup- 
ply of water in the pot when done. While these are cook- 
ing, cut from the cob double the quantity of fresh evergreen 
corn; have a sharp knife, shave off the very tip ends of the 
grains, and throw them away — or, to your chickens. And 
in cutting off the grains, do not shave quite down to the 
cob; leave a little, to scrape out at the last. By these pre- 
cautions, you will get rid of most of the hulls, and the 
rougher part of them. When the beans are done enough 
put in the corn, and simmer slowly half an hour, stirring 
frequently. If any dressing is required, add a little cream 
or fresh butter, just as you take the pot from the fire. 

Butter beans, or common shell beans, may be used for 
succotash, instead of Limas. 



426 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Boiled Dried Beans. 4£ 

Look them over carefully, throwing out all discolored 
ones; then wash in several waters, rubbing well with the 
hands. Never soak; it toughens the hulls, and makes them 
slip off whole; it also injures the flavor of the beans. If 
they are a year old, and therefore a little strong in taste, 
cover with boiling water, and parboil ten minutes; then 
drain it all off, and add more, boiling hot. But if reason- 
ably fresh, simply wash them, drop into boiling water 
(never into cold), and boil rather briskly the first half hour; 
this makes the hulls more tender. Then stew very moder- 
ately, adding more boiling water if necessary; cook till 
done, but not till they have fallen to pieces. It will take, 
usually, from two to three hours; though a good deal de- 
pends upon the age and variety; the white marrowfats will 
cook in less time, unless they are very old. The beans 
should be moderately juicy, when finished; if a dressing- 
is wanted, a trifle of cream is the best; add it one minute 
before dishing. Some like a soup-bone, or a bit of beef or 
mutton rib, boiled with this vegetable; the meat should be 
brought to a boil and skimmed, before putting in the beans. 

The speckled cranberry, or other beans that are of a 
dark color, are milder in flavor if parboiled, as follows : 
after washing thoroughly, cover them with boiling water, 
and cook rapidly fifteen minutes; then drain, cover again 
with water, boiling hot, and cook as before. Some add a 
little milk or cream, just at the last; and some use a lump 
of fresh butter. 

Stewed Beans. 

Another way of cooking beans that is very good, is to 
cover them with cold water, and set the pot back where it 
will simmer, but not boil; it must not bubble once; keep the 
lid on, and cook till done. For dried beans it will require 






PAET III.] VEGETABLES. 427 

about three hours to make thein tender. Finish with a lit- 
tle milk or cream, if you want a dressing. 

Based Beans. 4£ 

Stew the little soup bean, white kidney, or white marrow- 
fat, as in the last recipe but one. Cook rapidly two hours, or 
until the beans are not only soft, but beginning to fall to 
pieces; have plenty of juice in them. If you want them 
extra good, stir in half a cup of milk or cream, then pour 
into a deep dish, smooth the top with a knife, and bake in 
a slow oven two to three hours, or until the beans are a 
rich red color throughout. 

If a nearer approach to " pork and beans " is desirable, 
omit the milk, or cream, and put in a bit of fresh beef rib, 
rather lean, and previously stewed in a little water till ten- 
der; place the meat in the dish, pour the stewed beanr, 
around and over it, and bake as before. A little fresh beef 
gravy, stirred in before baking, is not a bad substitute for 
the meat. 

Parsnips. 4£ 

Wash and scrape the parsnips, and if large, split in halves 
or quarters; cover them with boiling water, and stew mod- 
erately three-quarters of an hour, or till thoroughly tender; 
if they are old, it may take an hour, or longer. There 
should be nearly a cup of liquor in the pot, at the end. Put 
them into a bake-pan, pour all the liquor over, and place in 
the oven to brown. Bake twenty to thirty minutes, basting 
frequently; the liquor should all be evaporated when done. 
No seasoning is required. 

Another way, much liked, is this : After cutting in halves 
or quarters, remove the hard or stringy portion in the 
center of the parsnip; then boil till quite tender, having 
the water all evaporated at the last. Mash till perfectly 
smooth, stir in a little cream or fresh butter, and heat a 
moment; then dish. Thev are excellent. 



428 health in the household. [part iil 

Turnips. 41= 

These vary so much in size, age and variety, that it is 
hard to give a rule as to time of cooking. The common 
white kind cooks in less than half the time that is required 
for Swedish, or ruta-baga turnips; the latter need all of 
two hours' boiling or steaming. White turnips, if very 
young, will sometimes cook in thirty minutes; but if old, an 
hour or longer is generally necessary. A safe way, however, 
is to start them in good season, and test with a fork toward 
the last; they are better cooled to lukewarm, before serving. 

Wash and peel them, rejecting all that are pithy, or 
coarse and stringy; a single bitter one will sometimes spoil 
the whole mess. Cut them into slices of half an inch; 
then place in the bottom of the pot an old saucer, inverted, 
or a small pie-pan, put in the turnips, and cover with boil- 
ing water; have about enough to cook them, leaving very 
little to drain off. Boil rapidly, and watch that the pot 
does not go dry; if this happens, you will lose the sweetness 
of the turnips; and if cooked too long, they will turn red 
and taste strong. 

You may cook in a closed steamer, if you like; in which 
case, steam rapidly till tender. As soon as a fork will pierce 
the slices easily, set up the steamer, turn them into a por- 
celain kettle or other flat-bottomed vessel, and drain in all the 
liquor. Place over the fire, and when the water is about all 
evaporated mash with a potato-masher, stir in a few spoon- 
fuls of cream, and dish for the table. 

The Swedish turnip must not be cooked too dry; it is 
better left pretty moist, before you stir in the cream. 

Boiled Carrots* 

There is a little carrot called the "Early Horn,"' that 
matures in July, and boils tender in an hour. Winter car- 
rots grow larger, and take longer to cook; they are used 



PART III.] VEGETABLES. 429 

chiefly for soups. If boiled by themselves, wash and scrape 
thein, and leave in cold water awhile before cooking; if 
large, cut them lengthwise, in slices not too thin, and boil 
the same as turnips, only longer; they usually require an 
hour and a half, or two hours. When done, the water 
should be about all evaporated. — You may add in starting, 
a pint of vegetable soup, or the boilings of beef or mutton, 
if you have fears that they will taste '''flat." Some season 
with cream or butter, putting it in at the last; and some 
mash fine before adding the seasoning, then heat a moment, 
and dish. 

Stewed Carrots. 

Take four or five large-sized carrots, wash and scrape 
them, and cut lengthwise into thin strips ; take three or 
four of these at a time, and cut into short lengths, in a 
slanting direction. Put them in a pot, just cover with 
water, and boil one or two hours, or until perfectly tender. 
"When about done, prepare a sauce by taking a lump of 
butter half the size of an egg, one even tablespoonful of 
flour, and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley; put these in 
a pan, and simmer a few minutes over the fire, until well 
incorporated; do not brown. Then drain from the carrots 
the water left from boiling, and turn it into the sauce ; pour 
all over the carrots in the pot, shake, so as to mix well with 
the gravy, and dish for the table. 

Boiled Beets. =£ 

Twist off the tops, not too close to the beet; if young, 
you may leave two inches of the stems, and when done 
serve these with the sliced beets. Wash well, but do not 
break the little rootlets, else the sweet juices will escape. Put 
the beets into a pot, barely cover them with boiling water, and 
cook from one to two hours or longer, according to size and 
age. You may have to add boiling water, once or twice ; but 
let it be nearly all evaporated when done; if the pot is entirely 



430 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

dry at the last, the beets will be all the better. Test as 
little as possible with the fork, as much pricking " bleeds " 
them; be sure they cook till tender. Then remove from the 
fire, and when cool enough to handle drop the beets into a 
pan of cold water, slip off the skins, and lay in a dish to 
cool. Fifteen minutes before serving, slice thin, squeeze 
out the juice of one or two lemons, according to the quan- 
tity of the beets you have, add as much cold water as there 
is juice, and pour this dressing over them; they must be 
entirely cold before you add the lemon. Serve in sauce- 
dishes, with plenty of the juice. 

Spinach. 4£ 

You will need a good peck of spinach, for a family of five 
or six persons. Look it all over very carefully, cutting off 
or throwing out any imperfect portions; then wash thor- 
oughly two or three times, in plenty of cold water. Start 
to cooking in boiling water, and if young and tender allow 
twenty minutes ; in winter it will require about twice as 
long. When done, lift it out with a couple of forks placed 
side by side, and held in one hand, laying it on a plate; this 
will leave any sand or sediment in the liquor. Cover the 
plate with another, and drain well; then chop the spinach 
fine, put it into a tureen, and send to the table. After 
serving, pass the lemons, cut in quarters. Spinach is best 
served nearly cold; it is well therefore to commence boiling 
an hour before dinner. 

Salsify, or Vegetable Oyster. 

This vegetable is rather insipid without more or less 
seasoning. One of the most approved methods of cooking 
it, is stewing. Wash and scrape well, dropping each plant 
into cold water as soon as cleaned, to prevent its being dis- 
colored. When all are prepared put them into a porcelain 
kettle, just cover with boiling water, lay on the lid, and cook 



PART in.] VEGETABLES. 431 

till tender. Then drain off most of the liquor that remains, 
and add a cup of good milk; boil or simmer ten minutes, 
and either put in a bit of butter with flour rubbed into it, 
or make a little thickening of cream and flour, and stir it in. 
Boil up once, and pour it over slices of dry toast. Or you 
may add more milk, heat a moment, and serve with oyster- 
crackers. 

If preferred, you may stew the plants in a little water till 
tender, drain off what remains, then mash well, and moisten 
with milk or cream; some add a beaten egg, or a bit of 
butter; make into thin cakes, dip these in cracker-dust or 
fine bread-crumbs, and brown each side on a hot griddle, 
well oiled. 

Egg Plant. =jj= 

This if too old, will be strong and bitter. Peel, cut in 
slices, and if the plant is not very young and fresh, let 
these lie in cold water half an hour. Then steam twenty 
to thirty minutes; or } T ou may put them into a porcelain 
kettle, just cover with boiling water, and stew till tender. 
Drain off the little water that is left, and mash fine or put 
through a colander. 

Have ready some slices of toast (good Graham bread 
two days old is best), and either crumb very fine or grind 
it. Add to the prepared egg-plant an equal quantity 
of the crumbs, and moisten well with a cup of cream; 
if this is not rich, add a piece of butter. For two egg- 
plants of average size, about half a pint of cream is nec- 
essary ; stir into the latter two eggs well beaten, yolks 
and whites separate. Then turn into an oiled pudding dish, 
and bake three-quarters of an hour ; though less time will 
be required for a smaller quantity. 

Some boil whole ten minutes, cut off the end, and 
take out the seedy part ; add this to a dressing of crumbs, 
and fill the cavity. Replace the end, tie with a string, and 
either bake or stew. 



432 health in the household. [part iii. 

Summer Squashes. :$= 

Summer squashes are of numerous varieties, and the time 
of cooking varies accordingly. One of the best but not the 
most common, is known as the "Summer Crook-Neck"; it 
is a long slim squash, mostly " neck," and often very crooked; 
it is orange-colored, and rough or warty on the surface. 
Fresh from the garden, these little squashes stew tender in 
half an hour, or less time. When very young they need no 
peeling,, or removing of seeds. Wash, cut in thick slices, 
and start in not too much boning water; cover, cook rapidly, 
and have them almost dry when done. Finish with cream 
or butter. 

The little scalloped squash, so common in the markets, 
should be well peeled; and if not very young, the seeds 
must be taken out. Then slice it, and lay in a closed 
steamer — not one with holes in the bottom; or you may put 
it in a porcelain kettle, with just enough boiling water to 
cook it; if young and tender, forty minutes is about the 
time required. The squash should be pretty dry at the 
last; if too much water remains lift the lid, and let it nearly 
all evaporate. When done remove from the fire, mash fine, 
and add a little cream, or a lump of fresh butter. Set the 
kettle back on the stove, heat a moment, stirring once or 
twice, and then lift to the tureen; do not send to the table 
too hot. Properly managed, this dish is excellent; indiffer- 
ently done, it is almost worthless. 

Winter Squashes. 

Winter squashes ripen in the fall, but may be kept in a 
cool dry place, nearly or quite till spring. They are of 
various colors, shapes, sizes, and qualities; some have hard 
shells, and some soft. One of the finest varieties raised, is 
the Buttman; it is something like the Hubbard, only much 
milder and finer in flavor; it keeps well all winter The 



PART III.] VEGETABLES. 433 

common green and white striped-neck squash, which ripens 
early in the fall, is fine for stewing, and also for pies; and 
if thoroughly ripe, it bakes well. 

Stewed Winter Squashes. 4£ 

If the squash has a very hard shell (as the Buttman or 
Hubbard), do not try to slice or peel, but break it in pieces 
with a hatchet, and remove the seeds. Then wash, and 
either lay in a closed steamer, or stew in a kettle with 
enough boiling water to cook soft; it will require all of an 
hour; if the water gets too low, add a little, always boiling 
hot. When done scrape from the shells, and mash till 
smooth. » 

The varieties that have soft shells, you may slice and peel, 
removing the seeds; then cut in small bits, wash quickly, 
and put into a stew-pan; add a little boiling water, and 
stew till thoroughly tender. Or you may cook in a closed 
steamer till the pieces are soft, and then turn them into a 
porcelain kettle. Evaporate all or nearly all the water, bj 
lifting the lid a few moments; then remove from the fire 
and mash fine ; if liked, stir in a little cream or new milk 
before dishing. 

If any is left over, you can make it into pies the next 
day. 

Baked Winter Squashes. 4j= 

Wash, cut into pieces of convenient size, and take ou^ 
the seeds; then place in a dripping-pan, shell downward, 
add half a cup of boiling water, and bake in a hot oven till 
done. Serve in the shells. 

Pumpkin Sauce. 4£ 

Select good ripe pumpkins ; the " Yankee pumpkin," 
which is of a bright orange color, is the best. Peel, slice, 
remove the seeds, and cut into inch bits; then wash, and 
either steam or stew. If intended for pies, cook only till 



434 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HI. 

tender, and not too dry. If wanted for sauce, stew till 
pretty well done, but not till it changes color; dry out the 
water at the last. Then add a good cup of cream or rich 
milk, stir well, and dish. Not a bad sauce, in winter. 

Rhubarb. 4£ 

Trim off the leaves or their fragments, and see that there 
are no worms imbedded in the stalks; skin the latter, and 
cut into short bits. Then wash in cold water, put into a 
porcelain or granitized iron kettle, and for every two quarts 
of cut rhubarb allow one pint of cold water, and two-thirds 
of a cup of sugar. Stew moderately twenty minutes, and 
take from the fire; let the sauce stand in the kettle till 
quite cold. 

Never stew rhubarb in tin, as it corrodes the metal; and 
never pour it into a glazed earthen vessel. 

Celery. 

Wash and trim the stalks, and let them lie in cold water 
some time, before sending to the table. Arrange in a celery- 
glass, and serve with meats, fish, or any hearty dish of meat 
or vegetable preparation. Celery has a flavor very much 
like that of nuts. 

Young Onions. 

Onions if eaten, are best parboiled, and then finished in 
milk and water. Young onions will boil tender in thirty 
minutes, or less time. Cut off the rootlets and part of the 
tops, wash well, and lay in cold water half an hour; then 
put them into a small tin or porcelain stew-pan, cover with 
boiling water, and cook ten minutes; drain this about all 
off, add a cup of milk, and boil fifteen minutes or until 
tender. If a dressing is wanted, drain nearly or quite dry, 
add a little cream thickened with flour, heat almost to boil- 
ing, and take from the fire. 






PART in.] VEGETABLES. 435 

Old Onions. 4)= 

These require fully twice as long to cook, as young onions; 
it will take an hour or longer, if they are of good size. 

Cut off both ends close; then peel, drop into cold water, 
and soak half an hour. Put them in a porcelain kettle 
(never into iron, as it blackens them), and cover with boil- 
ing water; cook fifteen minutes, and drain. Then add half 
milk and half boiling water, and simmer till the onions are 
tender, but not too soft; drain again, add part of a cup of 
cream thickened with white flour, stir all together, and 
bring almost to a boil.. If you have no cream use milk, 
and a bit of fresh butter rolled in flour. 

Lettuce. 4£ 

Select good fine heads of lettuce, young and tender. 
"Wash well, and lay in cold water twenty minutes, before 
sending it to the table. Serve on small plates, with lemons 
cut in halves or quarters. Some sprinkle it with sugar, but 
the lettuce is more wholesome with simply the lemon juice. 

Cucumbers. =f£ 

It is hard to say whether this much-abused vegetable has 
suffered more from the market-men, or in the hands of the 
cook. For every fresh cucumber in the stalls, there are 
usually fifty stale ones; these, eaten with salt, pepper and 
vinegar, or perhaps fried, are enough to give one cholera 
morbus. But gathered fresh from the garden, and served 
with nothing more hurtful than diluted lemon juice, they 
are as harmless as a beet. 

Select only those that are green and white (not green and 
yellow), and firm to the touch; the others are stale. Or if 
you live on a farm, gather the cucumbers early in the morn- 
ing, and lay them in a cool place till wanted. Then peel 
them, removing all the "green," and drop into ice-water 
29 



436 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

half an hour; this makes them crisp, as well as cold. Put 
into the ice- water a lemon or two, also; when all are thor- 
oughly chilled, slice the cucumbers as thin as possible, into 
a cold dish, squeeze the lemons over them, and add nearly 
or quite as much ice-water as there is lemon juice. Stir 
all together, and send directly to the table. 

Melons. 

Watermelons, muskmelons and cantaloupes, are all in 
bad repute; not because they are harmful in themselves, 
but owing to the fact that they are carted and shipped from 
place to place, and then eaten stale. And if you want to 
"die certain" — not composedly, like old Mr. Jones, who 
lived to " eighty-eight and upward," but at thirty-five or 
younger, and in the writhing torments of cholera morbus — 
eat stale melons ! 

Ordinarily, melons should not be pulled more than a day 
before they are to be served; and the same day would be 
better, particularly if the weather is warm. If you have 
your own patch, take the melon from the vines in the cool 
of the morning, and put it in the coldest place possible; on 
ice, in ice-water, or on the bottom of a cold cellar. If 
eaten at meal-time, serve it before the rest of the repast, not 
after; or it may be eaten an hour before dinner, on an 
empty stomach. 

SOUPS. 

In making soups observe the following rules : 

1. Start the meat in cold water; let it heat slowly, and 
remove the scum as it rises. It should boil long enough to 
extract all its juices; and where there are bones or joints, 
they should be broken or crushed before boiling. In soup 
that is not strained, the meat must not be boiled to rags; 
if there is danger of this, lift it out before the soup is done. 

2. Slice or chop the vegetables, put them on in time to 



PABT III.] SOUPS. 437 

cook thoroughly, and keep the pot closely covered. Stew 
very slowly, and on no account let the soup scorch; con- 
tinue the cooking until the flavors are all well blended to- 
gether; and if any filling up has to be done, add the water 
boiling hot, and at least an hour before the soup is finished. 
When cabbage, turnips, or parsnips are used, a good plan 
is to soak them in cold water, half an hour beforehand. 

3. If there are fragments of meat, bone, or vegetables in 
the soup, strain it through a colander when done (unless 
preferred as it is), and heat again to boiling before dishing 
into the tureen. Keep the latter covered till the time of 
serving, and have the soup-plates warm. 

4. Good soups can be made without meat. Add to the 
cooked vegetables a cup of milk or cream, and heat again 
before serving. 

In cold weather, a very good way when meat is used, is 
to boil it the day before, cooking slowly, and till the meat 
is ready to fall to pieces. Then strain through a colander 
to get rid of the bits of meat and bones, and set the liquor 
away in a cold place; next morning remove the fat, and add 
the remainder to the contents of the soup-kettle. 

Potato Soup.^ 

4 quarts cold water. 

2 " boiling water. 

5 pints quartered or cut potato— not sliced. 

2 onions — if liked. 

3 stalks celery, chopped fine. 

Ten cent soup-bone— fresh joint of beef. 
Time — four hours. 

Crack the knuckle or joint, drop it into the pot, and cover 
with the cold water; then put on a clean, closely-fitting lid, 
and heat slowly. As soon as the scum rises, remove it care- 
fully; and when the water begins to bubble, set the pot 
where it will simmer gently, as hard boiling destroys tbe 



438 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

flavors of the meat. Prepare the potatoes by paring, wash- 
ing and quartering them; or if large, cut into smaller 
pieces, say an inch thick. If the onions are used, slice 
them thin, and chop fine. At the end of two hours add 
the potatoes, onions and celery, and the two quarts of boil- 
ing water, and cook slowly an hour and a half, keeping the 
pot closely covered; then take out the larger bits of bones 
with any meat adhering, and put the remaining contents of 
the kettle through a colander. Keturn the soup to the fire, 
and cook. half an hour longer; stir frequently, if there is 
the least danger of scorching. When done stir well from 
the bottom, dip the soup into a hot tureen, cover, and send 
to the table. 

Or, leave out the meat, use less water, and cook in two 
hours. Finish with a cup of good milk, heating ten minutes. 

Another. — Prepare a quart of potatoes, cutting them in 
small bits — not slices; drop these into two quarts of boil- 
ing water, and cook pretty fast, keeping the pot covered. 
Boil nearly or quite an hour, stirring occasionally to break 
up the lumps; then add a pint of milk or cup of cream, 
thickened with a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and boil a 
few minutes longer. Serve with dry toast, or crackers; this 
is rather a good dish, quickly prepared. 

Tomato Soup. — (Good.)^. 

Put one pound of beef or mutton (or a ten cent soup- 
bone) into three quarts of cold water, bring it to a boil, and 
skim well. Add a sliced onion if liked, and a pint of cut 
potatoes, and stew slowly two hours and a half; then put 
the meat and liquor into a porcelain kettle, and skim off 
any grease that rises; add a quart of canned or chopped 
tomatoes, a spoonful of chopped parsley, if you have it, and 
cook again, three-quarters of an hour. Then lift out the 
meat, strain the soup through a colander, return it to the 
fire till steaming hot, ahd dish for the table. Or you can 



part hi.] soups. 439 

leave out the beef or mutton ; add a cup of hot milk or 
cream at the end, then heat to the boil. 

Potato and Tomato Soup. 

6 quarts cold water. 
5 pints cut potato. 

1 can tomatoes. 

2 stalks celery, cut fine. 
1 onion thinly sliced. 

Ten cent soup-bone, cracked. 
Time — three hours and a half. 

Set the kettle on the fire with the meat and water in it, 
heat slowly to a boil, and skim; simmer gently one hour, 
then add the celery and onion, and the potatoes peeled and 
quartered, and cook an hour and a half, stirring occasion- 
ally; put in the tomatoes, stew an hour longer, and strain 
the soup through a colander; skim off any grease that rises; 
return to the kettle, heat again till hot, and dish into the 
tureen. Serve with bits of dry toast, or hard Graham rolls. 

If preferred, make without the soup- bone, and add a cup 
of grated green corn and one of cream before finishing. 

Barley Broth. 

1 gallon cold water. 

\ cup barley. 

1 turnip, peeled and cut into dice. 

1 onion, finely minced — this can be omitted. 

1 spoonful chopped parsley, if liked. 

1 lb. lean mutton — the neck. 

Time — three hours and a half. 

Use a soup-kettle, if you have one. Drop the meat into 
the cold water, heat slowly, and skim well; then put in the 
onion and barley, and cook two hours and a half; then the 
turnip and chopped parsley, and cook an hour longer. The 



440 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

kettle must not boil fast at any time; and if there is danger 
of scorching, stir once in a while. Take out the meat 
before it is in rags; and when the broth is done, dish for 
the table; you may send the meat also. Serve with dry 
toast, or with thin cakes of plain corn bread, baked with a 
good crust. 

Barley broth, as the Scotch people know it, is usually 
made for the sick, and contains only the meat and barley, 
with perhaps a little parsley, or other sweet herb. 



Barley and Tomato Soup. — (Excellent)^ 

6 quarts cold water. 
\ pint pearl barley. 

1 quart canned tomatoes. 
4 potatoes, medium size. 

2 onions, thinly sliced, and chopped. 

3 tablespoonfuls chopped parsley. 
Ten cent soup-bone. 

Time — four hours. 

Crack the soup-bone, but do not crush it ; start it in the 
cold water, heat gradually, and skim when it boils. Then 
add the barley and chopped onions, and stew gently two 
hours and a half. At the end of that time skim off any 
grease that rises, and put in the canned tomatoes, first 
jDressing them through a coarse sieve or colander. Then 
peel the potatoes, boil them in a little water till soft, and 
mash till perfectly smooth; add them and the parsley, and 
continue the cooking an hour longer. When done take out 
the meat, and dish the soup into a tureen. Serve with hard 
Graham rolls, or dry toast. 

This soup can be made without meat. Add, before fin- 
ishing, a cup of milk or cream, and heat from ten to fifteen 
minutes. 



part in.] soups. 441 

Okra and Tomato Soup-4^ 

1 gallon cold water. 

1 quart okras, thinly sliced. 

2 quarts tomatoes, peeled and sliced. 
1 lb. lean beef — or a cup of cream. 
Bunch of sweet herbs. 

Time — three hours. 
Make this soup in a porcelain kettle, as iron blackens 
and ruins it. Cover the meat with the cold water, bring it 
to a boil, and skim well; put in the sweet herbs, and cook 
slowly one hour. Then add the sliced okras, and stew or 
simmer an hour ; skim as often as necessary, using a 
wooden or silver spoon; now put in the tomatoes, and cook 
another hour. Or leave out the meat, take three quarts of 
water, and cook two hours ; then add a cup of cream. 
Strain through a colander, heat again to boiling, and lift 
from the fire. Serve with dry toast, or hard Graham 
rolls. 

Corn and Tomato Soup. 4): 

1 gallon cold water. 

1 quart sliced or canned tomatoes. 

1 pint grated green corn. 

Ten cent soup-bone— or a cup of cream. 

Time — three hours and a half. 
Drop the soup-bone (crushed) into a gallon of cold water, 
skim when it boils, and cook slowly. In the mean time pre- 
pare the tomatoes; wash and peel good ripe ones, and fresh 
from the garden; the "Trophies" are fine. Slice as thin as 
possible, put them into a porcelain kettle, cover with a clean 
lid, and stew moderately half an hour, or until the lumps 
disappear; stir often to break up the tomatoes, and reduce 
to a smooth mass. While these are cooking, take good ever- 
green corn, the ears well-filled but not over-ripe, split the 
grains half their depth by running a sharp knife down ih.9 



442 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

rows, and then scrape out the pulp, leaving all the hulls on 
the cob; draw the knife from the large to the small end of 
the ear. If the corn scrapes out easily, it is not too old. As 
soon as the tomatoes are done enough add the corn, and lift 
from the fire ; there should be one pint of pulp, or half as 
much as you had of the sliced tomatoes. "When the meat 
has cooked two hours put in two or three small potatoes, 
peeled and quartered; and after another hour's boiling lift 
out the soup-bone, skim ofr the grease that floats on top, 
pour the liquor in with the corn and tomatoes, and stew or 
simmer half an hour longer, stirring often. Then strain 
through a colander, heat again to boiling, and serve with 
dry toast, Graham crackers, or hard Graham rolls. 

In this soup you may use canned tomatoes or canned 
corn, cooking a little shorter time. You can also make it 
without the soup-bone, putting in a cup of milk or cream 
at the last. Heat all well together. 

Split Pea Soup.=f^ 

5 quarts cold water. 

1 quart split peas, picked over carefully and washed. 

3 stalks celery, cut fine. 

1 onion (if desired), sliced very thin. 

Ten cent soup-bone, cracked — or cup of milk. 

Time — four hours. 
Start the meat in half the cold water, and the peas in the 
other half ; heat slowly to boiling, skim the meat, and then 
turn the two together ; add the other vegetables, and sim- 
mer gently four hours. If you have not a kettle with a 
double bottom, you had better set the one you have on the 
top of the stove ; and unless you have a very slow fire, it 
may be necessary to slide something under it, for fear of 
scorching. Stir now and then, oftener toward the last; the 
least approach to burning will utterly ruin the soup ; and 
hard boiling is almost as bad, since it destroys the fine 






paet in.] soups. 443 

flavor of the vegetables. The practice of adding water 
(even boiling), is injurious to all soups, and especially to 
this; if water has to be added, it must be put in boiling 
hot, and at least an hour before the soup is done. Ten 
minutes before serving, remove the pot from the fire, lift 
out the bones, skim off all the grease, and put the soup 
through a colander. Then return it to the pot, and heat to 
the point of boiling; stir well from the bottom as you dish 
into the tureen, and also in serving. Omit the soup-bone 
if you like, and finish with a cup of rich milk, the same as 
in the last recipe. 

Tomato and Pea Soup.4£ 

Make like the preceding, except that you add a pint of 
raw sliced tomatoes, or the same measure of canned ones, 
an hour before the soup is done ; strain through a colander, 
if not perfectly smooth. 

Pea Soup without Meat. 

5 quarts cold water. 

1 quart split peas, picked over carefully and washed. 

1 carrot. 

1 turnip. 

1 onion, if desired. 

2 tomatoes. 

2 stalks celery — or one cup of cream. 
Time — three hours and a half. 

Prepare the vegetables by washing, peeling, etc., cut the 
carrot, turnip, and celery into small bits, and slice the to- 
matoes and onion very thin. Put all into the pot, with the 
peas and water added, and bring to a boil; stew slowly, or 
rather simmer, three hours and a half, stirring now and 
then. Be sure the vegetables do not stick to the bottom, 
or scorch. Then add the cup of cream (milk will do), and 



444 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

heat to the boil before serving. Vegetable soups made 
without meat and finished with a little milk or cream are 
more delicate in flavor than when made in the usual way* 
Serve with dry toast, or hard Graham rolls. 

Bean Soup-4|= 

1 gallon cold water. 

2 quarts boiling water. 

1 quart dried (or fresh) beans. 

2 stalks celery — or one onion. 

Ten cent soup-bone — or a cup of milk. 

Time — four hours. 
If the soup is made of dry beans, the little mock-turtle 
" soup-bean " is best ; though the common " navy " is very 
good. Crush the bone, or rather, have the butcher do it, 
and start in half the cold water; as soon as this comes to a 
boil, skim. Then, having picked out all the faulty or dis- 
colored beans, wash thoroughly in two or three waters, rub- 
bing well with the hands, and put them into a separate pot, 
with the other half of the cold water ; when they have 
reached the boiling point, turn them in with the meat, add 
the celery (or onion) cut fine, and stew or simmer slowly, 
two hours and a half. Stir frequently, covering the pot 
closely between times, and see that there is no settling 
or sticking to the bottom. By this time the beans will 
be soft ; now add the two quarts of boiling water, cook 
half an hour longer, and rub through the colander, being 
careful that you get all out except the dry skins — 
particularly if the soup is not quite as thick as you would 
like it. Return it to the kettle, skim if there is any grease 
on top, and cook slowly another hour, stirring often. When 
done dip out, stirring well from the bottom, cover the 
tureen, and send to the table. The juice of a lemon ? 
squeezed in ten minutes before dishing, is said to improve 
the flavor. 



PART III.] SOUPS. 445 

This soup may be made without meat ; add a cup of 
milk or cream at the last, and heat again to boiling. 
Beans fresh from the garden (white) make a soup that is 
milder in flavor than that made from the dried ones, and 
the skins, if left in, are less objectionable. This rather 
hearty soup is better liked in cold weather. 

Bean and Tomato Soup. — (Good.) 

Make the same as the last, only add a pint of sliced toma- 
toes, or an equal quantity of canned ones, an hour before 
finishing. When done, strain through a colander, heat again 
to boiling, and pour into the tureen. 

Turnip Soup. 

5 quarts cold water — or three, if bones are used. 

8 turnips, medium size. 

^ cup rice, picked over carefully and washed. 

Scrag of mutton, one pound — or bones of cold 
quarter of mutton. 

Time — an hour and a half. 
If you take fresh meat, cook it the day before. Cut it in 
small pieces, cover with the five quarts of cold water, bring 
slowly to a boil, and skim well. Stew slowly three hours, or 
until the meat is boiled to pieces; then strain through a 
colander, and set the liquor away in a cool place. Next 
morning remove the fat, before putting in the turnips and 
rice. 

If bones are used, they must be fresh and sweet; put 
them into the soup-kettle, and add only three quarts of cold 
water. Then wash and peel the turnips, and cut in thick 
slices; put these in with the bones (or liquor, if that is used), 
add the rice, and stew gently an hour and a half, or till the 
bits of turnip are soft ; they should not be much broken. 
You will need a double boiler for this soup; for if it scorches 
in finishing, it will be spoiled. When done lift out the 



446 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

bones, and dish the soup into a tureen. Serve on a cold 
day, with baked potatoes and warm corn bread, the latter 
with a good crust. 

If preferred, make without meat, and just before finish- 
ing add a cup of cream, heating all well together. 

Vegetable Soup.4|= 

1 gallon cold water. 

2 quarts boiling water. 
1 pint chopped potato. 

1 " " cabbage. 

2 carrots, sliced and chopped. 
2 turnips, " 

2 onions, " 

2 stalks celery, cut fine. 

f cup pearl barley. 

Ten cent soup-bone — or cup of cream. 

Time — four hours. 

When you buy the soup-bone have it cracked or partly 
broken, but not crushed to pieces. Four hours before 
dinner put the meat into the cold water, heat slowly, and 
skim as soon as ready. Then put in the barley, keep the 
pot closely covered, and stew gently one hour; then add 
two quarts of boiling water, cook another hour, and put in 
the vegetables; they must all be sliced very thin, and 
chopped fine; it will take some time to prepare them. 
When you add these put in the other two quarts of boiling 
water, cover, and cook slowly two hours longer, taking care 
that the soup does not scorch. Then lift out the bone, and 
skim off any grease there is on top. Or you may leave out 
the meat, and add a cup of milk ten minutes before serv- 
ing. You may do the same in the next recipe. 



part in.] soups. 447 

Vegetable Soup. — (Good.)^ 

5 quarts cold water. 

1 cup green peas — or one pint canned ones. 

2 carrots, washed and sliced. 
2 onions, if desired. 

6 potatoes, medium size. 
2 turnips, " " 

Sprig of parsley — or other sweet herb. 

Ten cent soup-bone — or bones and trimmings of a 

sirloin steak. 
Time — three hours and a half. 

Put the bone — or meat with the fat removed — into a pot 
or soup-kettle, add the cold water, and place over a slow 
fire; then prepare the carrots, onions, potatoes and turnips, 
slicing them thin, and chopping fine. As soon as the meat 
comes to a boil, skim it, add the prepared vegetables, and 
also the sweet herbs, cut fine; if parsley is used, put it in 
ten minutes before finishing. Cook three hours, stirring 
occasionally; then add the quart of boiling water, and also 
the peas, and cook half an hour. When done strain the 
soap through a coarse colander, return it to the fire, bring 
almost to a boil, and dish for the table. If there is g.ease 
on top, remove it before serving. 

Vegetable Soup. 

5 quarts cold water. 

2 stalks celery. 

3 carrots, medium size. 

4 potatoes, " " 
4 turnips, " " 

1 parsnip, if you have it. 

Scrag of mutton — or cup of cream. 

Time — four hours. 

Cover the meat with the cold water, and place over a slow 



448 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT III. 

fire; then prepare the vegetables, slicing and chopping them 
all fine. Skim when the meat boils, add the vegetables, and 
stew slowly three hours; take out the meat before it falls to 
pieces; if you do not wish to serve it, you can make it into 
a hash or stew the next morning. When the soup is done 
skim off the grease, strain through a coarse colander, return 
it to the fire till hot, and then dish. You can make with- 
out the meat, and finish with a cup of milk or cream. 



French Vegetable Soup. 

1 gallon cold water. 

1 cup grated potatoes. 

1 " " carrots. 

1 " turnips, sliced and chopped. 

1 " chopped cabbage. 

1 " " tomatoes. 

1 tablespoonful chopped parsley. 

1 large onion, sliced and chopped. 

Ten cent soup-bone — or cup of milk or cream. 

Time — three hours. 

Trim the meat of all its fat, put it in the soup-kettle, and 
add the cold water; bring it slowly to a boil, and skim well. 
Then add the vegetables, except the tomatoes and parsley, 
and simmer slowly two hours and a half; stir now and then. 
At the end of that time put in the tomatoes, and cook an- 
other hour; add the parsley ten minutes before the soup is 
done. If the meat is likely to boil to pieces, take it out be- 
fore it is in rags, and finish the soup afterward. Serve 
without straining. 

This soup inclines to scorch, any time after the grated 
vegetables are added; it is best therefore to make it in a 
soup-kettle, with a double bottom. If you have not this, 
use an ordinary iron pot, and chop the carrots and potatoes, 
instead of grating them. 



PAET III.] MEATS, ETC. 449 

" All the Garden " Soup. — ( Excellent.)^. 

6 quarts cold water. 

4 potatoes, medium size. 

4 tomatoes, " " 

2 onions, " " 

2 carrots, " " 

2 turnips, 

2 tablespoonfuls chopped parsley. 

2 stalks celery, if you have it. 

1 cup green peas, shelled — if you have them. 

1 " chopped cabbage. 

1 small parsnip. 

Ten cent soup-bone — or cup of milk or cream. 

Time — three hours and a half. 
Crack the soup-bone without completely crushing it, cover 
with the cold water, and when it comes to a boil, skim. 
Then prepare the vegetables, slicing and chopping all — save 
the peas — till they are fine; and as soon as the meat is 
skimmed add them (except the peas and parsley), and stew 
moderately two hours and a half. Then strain the soup 
through a coarse colander, and skim off any fat that rises; 
return it to the kettle, put in the cup of green peas, and 
cook another hour before dishing into the tureen. Add the 
parsley, finely chopped, ten minutes before finishing. 

Later in the season you may substitute for green peas a 
pint of canned ones, adding them half an hour before the 
soup is done. You may also leave out the soup-bone, if 
you like, and finish with a cup of milk or cream. Heat to 
boiling after this is added. 

MEATS, Etc 

If meat forms any part of the dietary, special attention 
should be paid, first, to its selection, second, to the best method 
of cooking it, and third, to the manner of eating it. In 



450 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

other words, to get the most nutriment out of meat, it must 
be fresh and otherwise of good quality; it must be cooked 
in such a way that its nutritive properties will not be lost, 
or seriously impaired; and it should not be partaken of too 
frequently or in large quantities. If it were eaten not 
oftener than once a day in cold weather, and rarely if ever 
in warm weather, and the table supplied with an abundance 
of good home-made Graham bread, with fresh fruits and 
vegetables — these taken with few seasonings or condiments, 
and without the addition of rich pastries or desserts — we 
should witness less breaking down in health at thirty-five, 
fewer cases of confirmed dyspepsia, and not so many calls 
for tonics, ' strengthening bitters," mineral waters, and other 
" aids " to the digestive organs. There is no doubt that the 
free use of animal foods and especially meats, taxes the vital 
machinery unnecessarily, and wears it out prematurely. 

To aid in the selection of foods in general and meats in 
particular, read the " Hints on Marketing," in the latter 
part of this book. 

The fact that the larval form of the tape-worm is found 
in both beef and mutton (and also in swine), is sufficient 
hint to avoid the use of rare meats; for aside from the 
habit of totally abstaining from animal foods, the next best 
safeguard against these parasites, is thorough cooking. Even 
the hateful trichinae, according to some authorities, is not 
confined to swine's flesh. 

In cooking meats, never wash them, unless it is absolutely 
necessary; if your mutton, fish and fowl require rinsing, do 
it thoroughly but quickly, in cold water, as all soaking ab- 
stracts the juices of the meat. Cook immediately after 
purchasing, or keep in an ice-chest, or other very cold place. 

Koast, broil or stew, in the way that will involve the least 
waste, and that will render the meat the most nutritious with 
the least purely stimulating effect. This latter suggests the 
leaving out of seasonings, in toto. Salt and pepper, so freely 



PART III.] MEATS, ETC. 451 

used by most cooks, not only impair the quality of meat by 
hardening the fibrin, and rendering it difficult of digestion, 
but they also inflame the stomach itself, and waste the di- 
gestive fluids, by stimulating unduly the organs that secrete 
them. 

For a fuller elucidation of this whole theme, the reader 
is referred to the articles on " Salt," " Meat as an Article of 
Diet," etc., in Part I. Suffice to say, in this short para- 
graph, that meats if eaten, should be taken without season- 
ings, and not oftener than once a day; in warm weather 
(and warm climates), once a week would be better. And on 
no account should they form any part of the evening meal; 
at mid-day, that is, at dinner, when the digestive organs 
are usually at their maximum of strength, is the better time 
for both meats and vegetables. 

Fresh meats are infinitely better than salted — for reasons 
that have elsewhere been given. If salted meats are used, 
let the salt be soaked out as thoroughly as possible, before 
cooking; and in boning, start in plenty of cold water, skim 
when the pot begins to boil, and cook slowly till done. 
Fresh meats should be dropped into boiling water (the scum 
removed as it rises), and cooked rather slowly till tender. If 
filling up is needed, add the water boiling hot; the amount 
necessary to start with, depends very much upon the size 
and shape of the vessel; a deep, narrow one with little 
evaporating surface, will require less water than one that is 
wide and shallow; and when the meat almost touches the 
sides of the pot, it will take very little water to cover it. 

For boiled or stewed meats (fresh), the general directions 

are, to drop into boiling water, not more than is needed to 

cook them, skim at the proper moment, cover closely, and 

stew or simmer slowly until a fork will readily pierce the 

thickest portion. This will require fifteen to twenty-five 

minutes to the pound, or longer, according to the toughness 

of the meat and the palate of the eater. Some like their 
30 



452 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

meats rare; some want tliem well done; and some very well 
done. Mutton usually requires less time than beef. There 
should be little or no water in the pot, when finished. 

To roast meats, allow about the same time as for boiling or 
stewing; fifteen to twenty minutes to the pound, if liked 
rare; longer, for well done. In starting, a good plan is to 
lay the roast in a hot skillet, and sear the sides of it before 
putting it into the oven. Or if this is not convenient, you 
may dash a pint of boiling water over it, before placing in 
the pan. Start without water, in a brisk oven, and roast 
moderately till a fork will go through the thickest portion 
easily. You can cover, if the top browns too fast; no bast- 
ing is needed. If you use the " Gem Roaster," place the 
meat in it without water, close the vent, and roast in a very 
moderate oven, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound. Do 
not open till the time has expired; then, if the meat is not 
sufficiently browned, open the vent, replace the cover, and 
leave it in the oven ten minutes. 

In broiling, use no butter or grease, except it be a little 
suet to oil the gridiron; meat is best cooked and eaten in 
its own juices; not soaked in butter, or other oils. If you 
broil in a skillet have it hot, and use no grease; turn fre- 
quently, searing both surfaces in the very beginning, and 
then finish in ten minutes; cover closely between turnings. 
The art of broiling, is to heat quickly, imprisoning the 
juices in the outset, and to cook without scorching. If per- 
fectly managed, there will be very little grease in the bot- 
tom of the skillet, when done; only a spoonful or two of 
gravy, which should be poured over the meat. 

Boasted or boiled meats, if of good quality, are generally 
better sliced cold than warmed over; but if the latter plan 
is decided on, do it as quickly 'as possible; as soon as the 
meat is thoroughly heated through, remove it from the fire. 

Never use the liver or kidney of an animal; both are 
depurating organs, strictly speaking, and are therefore filthy. 



PART in.] BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 453 

BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 

Broiled Beef-Steak. 4£ 

In selecting a beef-steak, the preference is usually given 
to the porter-house or sirloin steaks. The " round " or flank 
is tougher, and may require pounding, or hacking; if so, 
take a dull carving -knif e, too blunt to cut, and hack the 
meat closely from end to end, first one side and then the 
other. Or if you have a steak-mallet, or heavy hammer, 
you may pound it hard, breaking and separating the tough 
fibers. 

"When ready, lay the steak on a clean gridiron — a steel 
one with slender bars is best — and place it over (not on) a 
bed of live coals, free from smoke. Or a better plan is said 
to be, to have the gridiron fitted under the grate; this pre- 
vents the dripping of grease on the coals, with the unpleas- 
ant odor and smoke. Turn, every two or three minutes, 
not allowing the juices to drop, or to collect on the upper 
surface of the meat. A steak of usual thickness, say half 
to three-quarters of an inch, should cook in ten to twelve 
minutes. If properly done it will be free from burnt edges, 
or the flavor of coal smoke, or burnt drippings. When 
sufficiently cooked lift it to a hot platter, cover with another, 
and send to the table. 

In the absence of the necessary apparatus for broiling, 
try the following excellent substitute: Set a clean skillet 
on the stove, heat it hot, and lay in the steak, pressing it 
smoothly down; no water, grease or butter, but simply the 
steak. Cover two or three minutes, or until the meat is well 
seared (not scorched) on one side; it will stick fast at first, 
but when lightly browned it can be loosened with a knife. 
Then turn it over, press it down smooth, and brown the 
other side in the same way; keep the skillet or broiling-pan 
hot, but do not scorch. Turn frequently, not allowing the 
juices to escape, and cover closely between turnings. About 



454 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

ten minutes is the time required for this method of broiling; 
when done lay the steak on a hot platter, and if a trifle of 
gravy remains in the skillet, pour it over the meat; cover 
with another platter, also hot, and send to the table. If 
well managed, the steak will be fully equal to one carefully 
broiled on the gridiron. 

Tough Eound Steak. 

The method of preparing and cooking given in the last 
recipe, ought to be sufficient for ordinary steak; if very 
tough, the following is said to be a good plan: 

Put on the stove a deep skillet, or a pot with a wide bot- 
tom, and let it get hot enough to sear the meat without 
scorching it. Lay in the steak, spreading it as smooth as 
possible, and brown on one side; then turn, and do the 
other, covering between times. Turn frequently, until the 
surface is all well browned; then add warm water enough 
to keep the pot from going dry, and stew or simmer, tightly 
covered, half an hour, or until the meat is tender. Slice in 
an onion if you like, at the same time that you add the water. 
When done lay the steak upon a hot platter, thicken the 
gravy in the pot with a little browned flour, and pour it 
over. 

Or if preferred, you may chop the steak fine after stew- 
ing it tender, then thicken the gravy, and put back the 
meat ; stir all together, let it boil up a moment, and pour it 
over nicely browned slices of dry toast. A little cream 
added to the flour, wetting it to a smooth paste, and stirred 
in just a minute before lifting the pot from the fire, is an 
improvement. 

Broiled Mutton Chops. =£ 

Trim away the unnecessary fat, lay the chops upon a grid- 
iron, and place the latter over (or under) a bed of bright 
coals, free from smoke ; then broil, turning every minute 
or two, till they are done ; five to eight minutes will cook 



PART III.] BEEF, MDTTON AND LAMB. 455 

thein. Or you may lay tliem in a clean hot skillet, cover 
and sear, or slightly brown, then turn and sear the other 
side. In short, cook just as you would a beef-steak, only 
not so long ; they should be done in about eight minutes. 

Lamb chops are cooked in the same way, and are consid- 
ered extra good. For mutton or lamb a wire gridiron is 
best, as it holds the meat better. 

Stewed Mutton Chops. 

Trim most of the fat from two or three pounds of chops, 
and remove the bones ; put them into a stew-pan, barely 
cover with boiling water, and take off the scum as it rises. 
Then slice in one onion, one carrot, and two small turnips, 
cover closely, and stew very slowly one hour ; add five or 
six potatoes, cut in small pieces or sliced rather thick, and 
one or two sliced tomatoes, if they are liked ; put in also a 
stalk of celery (minced), or a spoonful of sweet herbs finely 
chopped, and cook half an hour, keeping the pot well 
covered. Then dish all together, and serve with dry toast. 
A beef-steak, cut in small bits, may be stewed the same 
way, only longer ; cook till thoroughly tender. 

The chops are very good stewed with only an onion, and 
the gravy thickened at the last with a little browned flour 
wet with cream ; set off the pot and remove the grease, 
before thickening. 

Baked Beef-Steak. 

Take one or two large sirloin steaks, or one large round 
steak — though it is not so good — and flatten it well with a 
rolling-pin, or the side of a hatchet. If sirloin steaks are 
used, remove the bones before beating, and make a separate 
roll for each steak. When ready, cover with a plain dress- 
ing, made as follows . Add to stale bread-crumbs, finely 
grated, a little chopped parsley, or a pinch of sage if liked ; 
some add half an onion, or a shallot minced fine : then 



456 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III, 

moisten with a little milk or water, and a beaten egg, if you 
have it. Make the dressing not too wet, and work it half 
smooth, though very lightly, before spreading. Cover the 
meat well with it, forming a layer nearly half an inch thick; 
let the dressing come well out to the edge of the steak. Then 
roll up tightly, and tie with soft twine or wrapping-thread ; 
put an oiled paper (white foolscap) around the meat roll, 
tie again at each end, and lay it in a small iron pan. Pour 
over a cup of boiling water, cover closely with another pan, 
and bake in a good oven till done ; it will require at least 
an hour, if the steak is large. 

See that the pan does not get dry, and if necessary, add 
a few spoonfuls of boiling water ; baste frequently, and 
turn occasionally ; uncover and brown a little, before taking 
the roll from the oven. When done lay it on a plate, 
thicken the gravy in the pan with a trifle of browned flour, 
and let it boil up a moment ; then cut the outer strings, re- 
move the paper, and pour it over. Clip the remaining 
strings in several places, take them off carefully, and send 
the steak to the table. 

Baked Beef-Steak. 

Prepare the steak or steaks as in the last recipe, only 
leave off the oiled paper ; tie securely at each end, to hold 
in the dressing. If you have a little dripping, heat it hot 
in a frying-pan or skillet, lay the roll into it, and brown 
well on all sides by frequent turnings. Then put it in an 
iron pan, add a cup of boiling water to the dripping, and 
pour it over the meat. Cover closely and bake as before^ 
basting often ; turn several times, and bake an hour, or 
until tender. As soon as done clip and remove the strings, 
and lay the rolled steak on a plate ; when you have thick- 
ened the gravy in the pan with a little browned flour, and 
boiled it up a moment, pour it over. 

If you have no drippings, omit the browning process in 



PART III. J BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 457 

the beginning ; uncover at the end and brown moderately, 
basting two or three times ; then remove the roll from the 
pan, and thicken the gravy as before. 

Baked Mutton Chops. 

Dip the cutlets or chops, neatly trimmed, into a beaten 
egg, and then in cracker-dust ; lay them in a hot skillet, 
and when one side is browned, turn and brown the other. 
Then have ready a small dripping-pan, slightly oiled, and 
heated in a hot oven ; lay the chops into it, and bake 
quickly, having the oven very hot ; they should be done in 
fifteen minutes. When taken out, add to the gravy in the 
dish a little boiling water, thicken a trine with browned 
flour, heat a moment, and pour it over the meat. 

Baked Mutton Chops. 4£ 

Take three pounds of mutton or lamb chops, and trim off 
nearly all the fat ; then peel six or eight potatoes of medium 
size, and slice them thin. Mix with these one onion thinly 
sliced, unless this is objected to ; a stalk of chopped celery 
may take its place, and a little parsley finely chopped may 
be added if desired. Put a layer of the meat into a dish, 
and cover with one of potatoes ; repeat the layers in the 
same order, two or three of each. Pour over the whole a 
pint of boning water, cover closely, and bake in a very mod- 
erate oven, two hours and a half. 

Stewed Beef-Steak. 

It is not always convenient to have a hot oven, for baking 
or roasting. When stewing is preferable, you may prepare 
a rolled steaK as in the last recipe but two ; and instead of 
baking, put it into a pot, add a pint or more of boiling 
water, and cook one hour, or until tender. Then remove 
from the kettle, lay it into a dripping-pan, and add the 
water or gravy in which it boiled ; set the pan in the oven 



458 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

if you have a hot one, and baste a few times until the steak 
is nicely browned ; thicken the gravy with a little browned 
flour, and pour it over before serving. Or if the "hot 
oven " is out of the question, you may simply stew the meat 
till done, thicken the gravy at the last, and pour it over. 

Roast Beef. 

The sirloin and rib pieces are the best for a roast ; have 
the butcher remove most of the bone, and roll up the meat 
in the form of a "round," fastening it well together with 
skewers. Begin by putting a clean skillet or pan on the 
stove, heat it till hot, and place the roast in it ; when the 
under side is well seared and moderately browned, turn 
and brown the other in the same way ; two or three minutes 
will suffice. Then lay it in a dripping-pan without water, 
place in the oven, and heat rapidly till a crust is formed 
over the meat, which will imprison its juices ; now lower 
the temperature, and keep at a steady, moderate heat till it 
is thoroughly tender ; this you will ascertain by using the 
fork. No basting will be needed, and very little turning if 
the oven is an even one, and properly managed ; if the 
top heats too fast, cover it. It will require twenty minutes 
to the pound, more or less, according to the quality of the 
meat and the way in which it is to be served ; whether 
pretty rare, or well done. 

When finished, lift the roast from the pan, and remove 
the skewers by grasping the large end of each with a pair 
of pincers, giving it a sudden twist, and then pulling it 
out. If gravy is wanted, pour off the fat from the drip- 
ping, and drain the red juices into the gravy-boat ; or if too 
strong, dilute by pouring into the pan a little boiling water 
after removing the grease. Some thicken with a trifle of 
browned flour, and boil up a moment. 

Many prefer roast beef sliced cold, rather than served 
warm. 



paet iii.] beef, mutton and lamb. 459 

Boast Mutton. 

The shoulder and chine are generally used for roasting, 
the leg being better boiled. Unless you know your butcher 
to be particularly neat — and even then perhaps — it is best 
to wash the mutton in cold or lukewarm water, and dry it 
well with a clean cloth. Put the meat into a dripping-pan 
without water, and place in a hot oven ; hot enough to sear 
the surface, top and bottom, in a few minutes. Then mod- 
erate the heat to a steady glow, and cook without basting, 
allowing twelve to fifteen minutes to the pound ; cover the 
top, if it browns too fast. Should the roast be a leg, it will 
require more time in proportion to its weight ; say two 
hours and a half to an eight-pound piece, if wanted well 
done ; the fork, however, is the best test. "When suffi- 
ciently roasted remove from the pan, and drain off all the 
grease ; if gravy is wanted add a little boiling water, 
thicken with a trifle of browned flour, and boil up once. 
Serve with baked or mashed potatoes, and stewed turnips 
if you like them. 

Should part be left over, it is good sliced cold, the follow- 
ing day. 

Eoast Lamb. 

The fore and hind quarters are used for roasting. Wash 
in cold or tepid water, and dry well with a cloth. Put the 
meat into a dripping-pan without water, and roast the same 
as the last, only not quite so long. It is excellent sliced 
cold. 

Stuffed Shoulder of Mutton. 

Kemove the bone from the shoulder (you can use it for 
soup if you like), and fill the cavity with a dressing of stale 
bread-crumbs, made as follows: Add to the crumbs a pinch 
of dry sage, rubbed fine, or a little sweet herbs; stir well 
together. Then put in a spoonful or two of meat juice, or 
a bit of fresh butter melted in warm water, and mix welL 



460 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Moisten the dressing with water that is cold or lukewarm, 
making it not very wet, stir lightly, and fill the cavity about, 
two-thirds full; this will leave plenty of room to swell. 
Then sew up the skin to retain the dressing, put the meat 
into a dripping-pan, pour over a pint of boiling water, and 
place in a brisk oven; after ten minutes, moderate the heat 
and roast evenly, allowing about fifteen minutes to the 
pound. Baste now and then, and cover if the top browns 
too fast; test with a fork at the end. When done take the 
meat from the pan, drain off the grease from the gravy, and 
thicken a little with browned flour; then boil up a moment, 
and pour it into the gravy-boat. 

Boiled Meats. 

Time was, in the Carolinas and elsewhere, when a boiled 
dinner of "meat and cabbage," or meat and some other 
vegetable, constituted the one main dish at the dinner table 
in the farm-house. Very little culinary art was needed; if 
the pot did not go dry, and the victuals were done, that was 
sufficient. The meat, usually a bit of salt pork, sometimes 
a piece of beef, was well washed, dropped into a pot of cold 
water, and the latter hung over the fire, on a crane or tram- 
mel. When about to boil it was carefully skimmed; by and 
by the cabbage went in, washed, trimmed and quartered, or 
the turnips or other vegetable. When done, the meat was 
lifted out with a fork and laid on a plate, and the vegetable 
dished separately; or if the piece boiled chanced to be 
rather small, it might occupy a central place in the dish that 
held the vegetable. In the summer season, string beans* 
peas, early cabbage, " greens," shelled beans, or other field 
or garden product, kept the meat company. This simple 
" boiled dinner," with plenty of corn bread and butter, and 
perhaps a glass of milk, made up the noon-day meal. It 
tasted good, for two reasons; in the first place, plenty of 
hard work made every one hungry — hunger is the best of 



PART III.] BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 461 

condiments — and in the next place, the pot, however full 
(and it was often a big one), rarely held too much for all 
the chits that sat or stood around the family board. Or if 
any remained undished, it was served at the " second table," 
for the four or five youngsters that had to wait. 

But the times have changed; other methods of cooking, 
some of them not so simple or so healthful, have taken the 
place of those primitive dishes of the olden time. A fine 
thing for the doctors, may be, but not so good for the 
stomach. In these " progressive " days, the meats and vege- 
tables are prepared in various fancy ways, to suit the tastes 
—the "educated" tastes, if you please— of fashionable 
people. Nearly everything in the way of meats, or meat 
preparations, not roasted or boiled, is now "braised," or 
" larded," or " fricasseed," or fried, or spiced, or made into 
" collops," or " croquettes," or " pates," or salads, or done 
according to some other fashionable or foreign method. 
These dishes are a mixture of animal foods, hard-boiled 
eggs, vinegar, salt, catsup, mustard, black pepper, cayenne, 
almonds, nutmegs, mace, allspice, cloves, capers, anchovies, 
pungent sauces, jellies, brown sherry, wine sauces, etc., etc. 
What wonder that the wild man of the woods, whose stom- 
ach is not yet deadened with these vile compounds, no 
sooner receives the proffered morsel into his hungry mouth, 
than with frightful gesticulations he curses the hand that 
gave it, and declares that a huge practical joke has been 
played upon him. 

Even the plain, old-fashioned beef roast yields to these 
modern innovations ; it finds itself slashed into with long- 
bladed knives, and completely riddled and plugged with 
strips of fat pork, the latter disguised, however, with a con- 
coction of onions, mustard, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, black 
pepper, sage, vinegar, sugar — and some innocent bread- 
crumbs. (What company they do keep!) After several 
hours of roasting or stewing, this fine dish is garnished with 



462 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

parsley and nasturtium blossoms, and appears not only at 
Sunday dinners (after divine service), but as a stand-by at 
supper and breakfast, for all the rest of the week. This, 
friends, is beef a la mode. 

But to return from this digression, out into the " ways of 
the world." — It is a comfort to know that there are still 
some people of plain tastes, who show a decided leaning 
towards the more simple, common-sense methods of pre- 
paring foods. They relish, for example, the pearled grains, 
whole, cut, crushed or rolled, prepared by steaming or boil- 
ing, and served with few condiments; and they eat the 
garden vegetables, as peas, beans, cabbage, turnips, etc., 
stewed in water enough to cook them (the usual pinch of 
salt added), and finished with nothing more than a little 
cream or fresh butter. This is much better than to cook 
them swimming in fat pork, as some do, and then further 
impair their own natural flavors, by making everything hot 
with seasonings. 

Meats, simply boiled, as in the following recipes, are 
plainer and less greasy than roasts. 

Boiled Beef or Mutton. 

For those who still adhere to the plain boiled meats, a la 
fifty years ago, the way is, to drop the piece of fresh beef or 
mutton into water, hot or boiling, remove the scum, and cook 
till tender. You may allow twelve to fifteen minutes to the 
pound for mutton, and five minutes longer for beef; the mut- 
ton must be well washed, and dried with a clean cloth before 
cooking. There should be water enough (more can be 
added if necessary) to cook the meat till a fork will easily 
enter its thickest portion; usually there is a trifle of liquor 
left in the pot. This method of cooking gives you simply 
the plain meat, free from all the strong flavors of the over- 
heated and highly concentrated meat juices, which are 
usually so pronounced in roasted, fried, or even stewed 






PART III.] BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 463 

meats. Cooked in this way, it is nutritious rather than 
stimulating; and to the less perverted palate, it "wears" 
better than the more savory dishes. Many prefer it sliced 
cold, rather than warm. 

Corned Beef. 

Corned beef is not as digestible or nutritious, as good 
fresh beef; before boning, it should be soaked several hours 
or over night, to take out the salt. Then cover it with cold 
water, set the pot over a very moderate fire, and simmer 
slowly, allowing all of twenty minutes to the pound; a large 
piece will require four to six hours, to make it tender; skim 
well, as it comes to a boil, and turn the meat two or three 
times while it is cooking. If liked, add some carrots and 
turnips when it is half or two-thirds done; skim off all the 
grease before putting them in. Fill up with boiling water 
as it is needed, and have a moderate supply of liquor in the 
pot when finished. 

A good way is to cook till soft, remove the bones, then 
press in a mould, and after it is cold, slice. 

Boiled Meat with Vegetables. 

If you wish the meat flavor in your cabbage, turnips, etc., 
proceed as follows: Lay into the pot a piece of good beef 
or mutton, pour over boiling water, and cook till time to 
put on the vegetables. Then skim off the grease, take out 
part of the liquor, and pour it into a separate pot; add to it 
more water (boiling) if necessary, and put in the vegetable 
(or vegetables) you want; there should be just enough to 
cook them tender. The meat, if started in time, should be 
done as soon as the other things; you may have to add to it a 
little boiling water, after taking out part of the liquor, 
though the pot should be nearly dry when done. Serve the 
meat on a plate by itself, and the vegetables in their own 
separate dishes. Or if the family is small, and the meat in 



464 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD, [PAET III. 

proportion, you may put it in the center of the dish, and 
lay the vegetables around it. 

Stewed Beef or Mutton. — (Pot Boast, )# 

If the meat is beef, and a rib or sirloin piece, prepare as 
for a roast, rolling it up securely, and fastening with skew- 
ers; if mutton, wash well in cold or tepid water, and dry 
with a clean cloth before cooking. Put it into a pot not too 
large for the piece — it should fit rather snugly to the sides 
of the vessel — and pour boiling water over it, enough to 
half or two-thirds cover; this will partially sear the sur- 
face, and prevent the juices from escaping. Cover with a 
closely-fitting lid, heat quickly to the boiling point, and as 
soon as the scum rises remove it. Then boil rapidly five to 
ten minutes, after which cook very slowly, stewing rather 
than boiling, and opening the pot as little as possible. 
When half or two-thirds done, turn the meat the other side 
up, and stew as before; you may have to turn again, once 
or twice; if beef, it will require twenty to twenty-five min- 
utes to the pound, to cook it; the time may vary a little, ac- 
cording to its quality, and the slowness with which it boils. 
Mutton will usually stew tender in less time ; say eighteen 
to twenty minutes to the pound, slow boiling; the pot must 
not get dry before finishing. When done, the water should 
be about all boiled away; if a little remains, you may lift 
the lid and let it evaporate faster. 

If you wish the meat browned, like a roast, set the pot 
where the gravy in the bottom will get quite hot without 
burning ; and when the under side is browned sufficiently, 
turn it over and brown the other; this is what is called, a 
" pot roast." Always start it to cooking in good season; for 
if done a little early, it will not matter; the meat will keep 
hot in its own steam, provided the pot is set in a warm 
place, and closely covered. When you take it up drain all 
the gravy into an old bowl or cup, and set it away; when 






PART III ] BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 465 

cold remove the grease for oiling your bake-pans, and save 
the gravy in the bottom to put into a hash or stew, another 
day. 

The above method of cooking meats is liked by many 
better than roasting ; they are less greasy done in this way, 
and the flavor is milder. But one thing you must observe, 
and that is — to stew slowly. 

Cold Sliced Beef or Mutton. 

Cook the same as the last, and slice the following day, by 
cutting the meat smoothly across the grain or fiber. Or if 
you serve it warm, cut no more than will be eaten ; then 
take any considerable portion that is left over, press it 
well together, and either wrap a cloth closely around it, 
or pack snugly into a dish, and set it away, covered, in a 
cold place. The next day you can slice it for dinner ; and 
many prefer it to the warm meat. A dish of turnips, with 
warm corn bread and baked potatoes, is a good accompani- 
ment. 

A Brown" Stew. 

What is known asa" brown stew/' is about the same as 
" Stewed Beef or Mutton/' in the last recipe but one, except 
that it requires rather longer cooking, and the meat is 
always browned at the end. The poorer parts of beef or 
mutton will answer ; and a piece weighing six or eight 
pounds would take from three to four hours' stewing. 
Some like an onion or carrot sliced in, after the meat is 
half cooked ; always start it in boiling water, cover closely, 
and stew slowly till done. If necessary, add now and then 
a little water, boiling hot ; it must all be out of the pot at 
the last ; then brown the meat in its own hot gravy. You 
may skim off the grease from the latter, and thicken with a 
little browned flour ; then serve it and the meat with plain 
vegetables, as mashed potato, and stewed turnips or cab- 



466 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT IIL 

bage ; if the weather is cold, add a dish of plain corn 
bread. 

A breast of lamb, or two or three smaller bits, may be 
cooked in the same way, but for a shorter time. A good 
dessert after a brown stew, is fresh oranges. 

Stewed Lamb.^ 

Stew the same as beef or mutton, in the last recipe but 
two, except that less time will suffice. About fifteen min- 
utes to the pound ought to be long enough, even if cooked 
very slowly. A shoulder cooks sooner than a leg; and either 
should be done, in an hour and a half to two hours. 

Lamb cooked by this method and sliced cold, is pro- 
nounced fine by competent judges. 

Moulded Lamb. 

Wash the meat well, and dry it with a clean cloth ; a 
shoulder or rib piece is best for moulding. Put it into boil- 
# ing water, skim at the proper moment, and cook slowly till 
it is ready to fall from the bones; it will take perhaps two 
hours. Have very little liquor in the pot when done, say a 
cup full; then take out the meat, remove the bones, and cut 
into bits about two inches long; pour over the liquor, sat- 
urating it all through. Then place it compactly in a deep 
oval dish, turn a plate over, put on a weight, and set it in a 
cool place. Slice cold the next day. 

Calf's head may be boiled and moulded in the same way; 
it will keep several days in cold weather. 

Potted Beef. 

Take good beef, or a poorer part — something with bones 
in it — start it in hot or boiling water, removing any scum 
that rises, and stew slowly till the meat will slip from the 
bones ; there should be enough liquor left to moisten it 
when done. Then take it out of the pot, remove the bones 



PAKT in.] BEEF, MUTTON AND LAMB. 467 

carefully, put the meat into a wooden bowl, and chop fine ; 
pour in the liquor, stir well together, pack into a deep dish, 
and set away till cold. It is then ready to slice. Mutton 
can be used instead of beef, taking a shoulder, or any part 
with bones. 

Pressed Beef. 

Take three and a half pounds of good lean beef (a sir- 
loin steak is best), and chop it very fine ; the butcher will do 
it for you, or you can manage it yourself. Have ready a 
cup and a half of dry bread-crumbs, finely grated; moisten 
these with three eggs well beaten, and two-thirds of a cup 
of sweet milk or cream ; some add a teaspoonful of dry 
sage, or sweet herbs. You may use a weak gravy if you 
prefer, instead of cream or milk — or you may take two eggs 
instead of three. When the crumbs are prepared work 
them into the meat, and mix all well together; then make 
into a firm loaf and bake an hour and a half, covering it on 
top. Have the loaf long and slim; and when cold, slice as 
thin as possible, the same as tongue. 

This meat preparation is sometimes called, "loaf beef." 
It is very convenient for lunches, picnics, etc. 

Beef Omelet. 

This dish is quite similar to the last. To three pounds of 
beef chopped fine, add three eggs well beaten, six large 
crackers rolled fine, and a tablespoonful of dry sage; or you 
may use some other dry or sweet herb, if preferred. "Work 
all well together, knead into a loaf or cake, and lay in a 
small pan; turn another over it, after adding a pint of water 
or diluted gravy to baste with, and bake an hour and a 
quarter. Slice it very thin when cold, or the next day; the 
meat will keep some time, if the weather is cool. 
31 



468 health in the household. [part iii. 

Boiled Beef's Tongue. 

Wash, trim and scrape the tongue; it must be fresh; then 
soak in cold water half an hour. To cook it, cover with 
hot or boiling water, skim if there is need, and boil very 
slowly till a fork will go through the thickest portion easily. 
This will require two hours or longer, according to size. 
Add more water, if it boils down too low; the tongue 
should be pretty well covered, while it is cooking. When 
done take it out, remove the skin, and set away in a cool 
place. Slice thin. Cold tongue is much liked for sand- 
wiches; these latter are best made with good home-made 
Graham loaf. 

Beef's Tongue with Tomatoes. 

Boil the tongue as in the last recipe. While it is cooking 
peel some ripe tomatoes, and slice very thin into a porcelain 
kettle; before you heat them stir in either a little rolled 
cracker, or some fine dry bread-crumbs; just enough to 
thicken the tomatoes when done, to the consistency of or- 
dinary cream. Set where they will cook rather slowly, 
until perfectly smooth; stir often; if the sauce gets too hot 
it will be spoiled. A few minutes before finishing, you may 
stir in a spoonful of cold meat gravy if you have it, or a 
small lump of fresh butter; and when done, set where it 
will keep hot. As soon as the tongue is thoroughly tender 
take it out, skin it, lay it on a hot platter, and pour the to- 
mato over. Slice as you serve it. 

A piece of beef rib, not too fat, and stewed slowly till 
done, is good served in the same way. If you have neither 
the crackers nor the bread-crumbs f you may thicken the 
tomatoes with a little browned flour, wet with rAilk; or a 
cup of green corn is excellent; put this in twen^v minutes 
before finishing. 






part hi.j beef, mutton and lamb, 469 

Beef's Heaet. 

Wash the heart thoroughly, removing the ventricles, and 
soak in cold water one hour; then wipe it dry, and fill with 
a dressing of bread-crumbs, as for stuffed chicken or 
turkey; you may mix into this a little chopped parsley or 
minced onion, or both if you like; and if you have a bit of 
fresh suet or a spoonful of sweet dripping, you can use it 
instead of butter in making the dressing. When the heart 
is stuffed, sew it up in a coarse net or piece of tarlatan, 
cover with boiling water, and stew moderately two to three 
hours, or until tender; turn it occasionally while cooking. 
There should be a cupful of liquor in the pot when done; 
then take it out, thicken the gravy with a little browned 
flour, and return the heart to the pot. Cover closely, and 
simmer twenty to thirty minutes, turning it over as it 
begins to brown. When finished remove the net, lay the 
heart on a dish, and pour the gravy over. 

Another way is to stew till tender before you stuff, not 
forgetting to skim, as the pot comes to a boil. When done 
take out the heart, moisten the crumbs with a part of the 
liquor, and add a little butter or chopped suet, and a pinch 
of dry sage; then fill and sew up the heart as before, lay it 
in a small dish, add the rest of the liquor, and bake, 
covered, half an hour in a moderate oven; baste frequently. 
If there is not enough liquor, put in a little boiling water, 
and some cold gravy or meat juice, if you have it; then 
thicken at the last, and pour the gravy over the heart. You 
may serve warm or cold; if cold slice thin, and garnish 
with parsley. 

Still another way is to cut the heart into small pieces 
after it is well soaked, pour in cold water to cover, and 
bring to a boil; then skim, slice in an onion and a head of 
celery, and stew till tender; some add a little chopped 
parsley, before it is done. There should be but a trifle of 



470 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

liquor left in the pot; add a bit of fresh butter or dripping, 
thicken with a little browned flour, boil up a moment, and 
dish all together. 

THE "PORKER." 

It would hardly do to write a cook-book, and have noth^ 
ing to say in it about this beast. The " Porker " is an im- 
portant personage in the history of the world; more than 
three thousand years ago, before Christianity had been 
heard of, he received marked attention — not from heathen 
hands, but from the leader of one of the most distinguished 
nations in all history, sacred or profane. By that distin- 
guished leader, he (the porker) was banished from the side- 
boards of the Jews. How he managed to put himself, 
head, feet, back-bone and all, not only in the presence of 
the ungodly, but fairly and squarely upon the tables of 
respectable Christians, is indeed marvelous. But here he 
is, with his scurvy hide, his tuberculated lungs, and his 
ulcerated liver, all full of scrofula; with his fat sides — the 
very essence of retained excretion — and his muscles creep- 
ing with trichinae. Some scores of families, it is true, are 
now and then sent by these last, where no porkers go, and 
where trichinae do not abound. But what of it? His 
carcass tastes sweet, and therefore it must be eaten. " How 
shall we cook him?" In any way you like; you may take 
him piecemeal, or you may serve him whole; you may roast 
him, fry him, boil him, stew him, scallop him, or eat him 
raw— in Bologna sausage; and if you die of trichinosis, 
another porker would willingly eat you, if he had the chance. 

VENISON. 

Venison is cooked in the same way as beef, only it re- 
quires a little longer time. Care should be taken to have it as 
fresh as possible, and well trimmed. Venison steaks may be 
broiled on a gridiron or seared in a skillet, the same as beef, 



PART HI. J VENISON. 471 

allowing about fifteen minutes to a steak of ordinary size. 
The haunch, neck and shoulder, are usually roasted the 
same as beef, except that most people think it necessary to 
disguise the natural flavor of the meat by numerous season- 
ings or condiments, not to say wines. The thought suggests 
itself, whether it would not be better to dispense with this 
meat altogether, if it requires so many injurious or stimu- 
lating substances to make it palatable. A haunch will take 
from four to five hours, according to size, to roast; cover 
the top with an oiled paper, and then turn a pan over the 
whole, to keep the meat from scorching. Roast very slowly, 
until it is tender through its thickest part. 

The shoulder is stewed, as well as roasted; it will take 
fi-om three to four hours to cook tender, according to size. 
If stewed, remove the bones from the under side, put the 
meat into a pot, and cover with warm water, not boiling. 
Wash well, before roasting or stewing; and if cooked by the 
latter method, stew slowly, adding a little cold water from 
time to time, as it is needed. Reducing the temperature of 
the water will prevent the meat from hardening, as it boils. 
There should be little if any liquor left in the pot, when 
done; after taking it up, skim off the grease from the gravy, 
and pour it over the meat. Any that is left from a roast or 
stew, may either be sliced cold the following day, or made 
into a hash the same as beef. 

Venison Pasty. 

Cut the venison into inch bits, cover with warm water, 
skim at the proper moment, and stew till it is almost tender; 
have enough liquor left to make the pie sufficiently moist. 
When cooked long enough skim out the meat, and stir into 
the liquor a little white flour wet with milk or water, and 
mixed to a smooth paste; let the gravy come to a boil, and 
set it off. Then take a dish the depth of a common bread- 
pan, put into it a layer of the meat, and follow with one of 



472 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

potatoes, peeled, and Gut into small pieces, less than half an 
inch thick; have nearly as much potato as there is venison, 
laid in the bottom. Then add another light layer of the 
parboiled meat; the pie, before the crust is put on, should 
not be more than about an inch and a half in depth. Pour in 
the thickened gravy, until the dish is half or two-thirds full; 
then cover with a light cream paste made of equal parts 
sifted Graham and white flour, and cut a good cross-slit in 
the center. The crust should be half or three-quarters of 
an inch thick. Set the pie into a moderate oven and bake 
forty-five minutes, or until the crust is well done. Serve 
from the dish. 

In making this pie, you may if you like line the sides of 
the dish with the paste, leaving the bottom uncovered; then 
put in the meat and potatoes, add the gravy, and cover as 
before. 

POULTRY. 

' It has been elsewhere stated, that if the flesh of animals 
is used as an article of diet, we should give preference to 
those that are clean in the selection of their food. The 
animals that live exclusively on grains and other vegetable 
products, as the sheep and ox, rank highest in this respect; 
those that subsist upon a mixed diet of animal and vegetable 
substances, as poultry and wild fowl, stand lower; while 
others of strictly carnivorous habits, as lions, tigers, etc., are 
so far down in the scale that no one considers them fit for 
human food. Indeed the carcasses of flesh-eating animals 
are so full of nitrogenous matter, that tney begin to putrefy 
almost as soon as lif e is extinct; and the odor that is given off 
from their bodies is strong and offensive, even in life. 

The ordinary domestic fowl is far from being clean in its 
habits of feeding, particularly if it lives about the house; it 
helps itself from the slop-pail, the pig-pen, and other places 
of Questionable cleanliness. In fact, there are few things 



PART III. 



POULTRY. 473 



that it will not eat; like the hog, it is a scavenger of not a 
very high order. The turkey is perhaps a grade higher, 
from the fact that it roams over a larger territory, and gets 
more grain with less local tilth. Ducks and geese, whether 
wild or tame, are any thing but choice in their eating; 
nothing delights them more than to pick the worms out of 
the bottom of stagnant pools, where they lie in a bed of slime. 

Much of the poultry in our markets is stall-fed, before it 
is killed; the fowls are cooped up in close stalls or cages 
where they can not stir, and then they are stuffed with corn 
dough or other soft materials, as long as they can swallow. 
In this unnatural condition they are soon covered with thick 
layers of unhealthy fat, every particle of which is saturated 
with the retained excretions of their bodies. You will have 
no difficulty in recognizing them, as you see them in the mar- 
kets; the fat is not a healthy yellow, but a pale sickly white; it 
lies in thick pads, under the skin, extending from the middle 
to the end of the back-bone; and the whole surface of the 
body looks greasy, filthy and disgusting; none of that 
cleanly, wholesome appearance, which belongs to farm-fed 
poultry, roaming at large. 

First, then, secure a fowl that has not been stall-fed; this 
will often be hard to do in the large cities, especially about 
Christmas time. You can judge something of the age by 
the pin-feathers, by the short or long spurs on the legs, and 
also by the coarse or fine texture of the skin; if the fowl is 
young the skin will be easily torn, and the end of the breast- 
bone soft and gristly. Next, see that it has been recently 
killed, and the dressing properly done; these things you 
ought to be able to know at sight; if you do not, a little 
practice will teach you ; and the olfactories will aid in 
the mean time. If the chicken or turkey does not smell 
sweet inside, do not buy it. True, there are ways of " doc- 
toring " spoiled birds, with soda, salt, etc. ; but a fowl that 
needs such attention had better be left in the market, since 



474 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

it can never have the flavor of one in good sound condition; 
and about the last thing to make a dinner of, is tainted 
meat, of whatever kind. 

Fowls of every description, should be drawn, immediately 
after they are killed; if this is not done, the contents of the 
intestinal canal will be absorbed into the flesh, and will of 
course poison it. It has been truly said, that " there is no 
direr disgrace to our northern markets, than the practice of 
sending whole dead fowls to them." As soon as drawn, they 
should be thoroughly rinsed with cold water, and wiped per- 
fectly dry with a clean cloth; then a piece of fresh charcoal 
should be placed in the cavity of each, and they should be 
shipped to market without delay. So long as we eat rotten 
or tainted food we must expect putrid fevers, diphtheria, 
doctors' bills, and death. 

KOAST TUKKE¥.=(^ 

Select a young fowl, recently killed, and one that has not 
been stall-fed; if those for sale in market are dressed, you 
will know which to reject (that is, if they are not all of the 
same description), by the loads of fat on the back, all of 
recent deposit, and of a pale sickly hue, very much the 
color of dirty lard. 

If you buy the day before cooking, set the turkey in a 
cold place till wanted; then singe off the hairs over burning 
paper, remove the pin-feathers with a knife, and wash 
quickly in cold water, rinsing very thoroughly inside. Drain 
well, while you are preparing the dressing. If it be a thing 
possible, have for this, good sweet home-made loaf, about 
three days old; bread that is a third or fourth part sifted 
Graham, is the best. If not stale the loaf should be cut or 
torn open, and dried well in the oven. Cut in thin slices, 
and crumb or grate it fine; if the crusts are hard, soak them 
separately (after crumbing) in a little warm or hot water. 
Put all into a bowl or basin, add a spoonful of dry sage 



PAKT in. j POULTRY. 475 

rubbed fine (more or less, according to quantity of crumbs), 
and stir well together; if sage is not liked, use thyme or 
any other herb, as preferred. Then take a piece of fresh 
sweet butter, say the size of a walnut, to a quart of crumbs; 
pour on a little hot water to melt it, and stir it in. Some 
add also a beaten egg, but this is not necessary; and some 
use suet finely pulverized, instead of butter; a chopped 
onion may be added, if liked. Pour in tepid water, a little 
at a time, stirring lightly with a spoon; be sure you do not 
make the dressing too wet; it should be moist and flaky, 
rather than wet and sticky. Fill the body of the turkey, 
not very full, as the dressing must have room to swell; then 
sew up the vent with a strong thread, removing it before 
serving. Stuff the crop in the same way, and sew it up; 
there should be enough dressing left out to fill a small 
dish. 

Tie the legs together with a bit of cotton twine, and then 
fasten them securely to the " pope's nose " at the end of the 
back-bone. Put the turkey into a dripping-pan, lay the 
heart and gizzard beside it, and throw the liver away; then 
pour in a quart of boiling water, and start to roasting in a 
slow oven; the heat must be moderate at all times, but very 
slow the first half hour. Allow three to four hours or 
longer, according to the size of the turkey, or about thirty 
minutes for every pound; it will require all this time, if the 
oven is regulated as it should be; and if the fowl is not 
young, another half hour will perhaps be needed. To hurry 
any part of the process, is to have a spoiled dinner; baste 
frequently, as the roast progresses, and add a little boiling 
water from time to time; the pan must not get dry, or nearly 
dry. Turn the turkey as the surface browns; and when it 
begins to harden at any point, as on the legs or wings, wet 
a clean napkin in warm water, fold it several thicknesses 
and lay it on the overheated part. 

The last half hour you will have to be particularly watch- 



476 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

ful, else the browning will go on too fast. The turkey 
should be a pale chestnut color when done. Half an hour 
before finishing, dip out a portion of the dripping and stir 
it into the remainder of the dressing. Put the latter into a 
dish that will hold it conveniently, smooth the top with a 
knife, and set it in the oven to brown ; if you have not two 
ovens, place it on the grate above the roast, provided there 
is room ; if there is not, you will have to put in the dressing 
after the turkey is taken out. When thoroughly tender — 
which you will ascertain by piercing with a fork — lift the 
turkey to a platter, pour the dripping into a bowl, and skim 
off all the grease ; then thicken with a little browned flour 
wet to a smooth paste with milk or water — cream is better 
— return the gravy to the pan, and let it boil up a mo- 
ment on top of the stove. 

A good plan in a large family, is to carve the turkey 
before setting it on the table ; this saves time in serving- 
See that you have a sharp knife, cut across the grain, par- 
ticularly in carving the breast, and make the slices very 
thin. You will not of course forget the fine dish of mashed 
potatoes, cooked "just right," and stirred lightly with a 
fork before dishing into the tureen. Cranberry sauce is 
the proper thing to have with roast turkey ; prepare it 
early in the morning or the day before, as per recipe al- 
ready given in Part II. If cranberries are not to be had, 
try canned gooseberries, tart apple sauce, or fresh oranges. 

Wild Turkey. 

The wild turkey is dressed, washed, stuffed and baked, 
precisely like the domestic fowl of that name, care being 
taken that it is fresh when brought from the market. The 
flesh is a little darker, but richer and sweeter than that of 
the tame turkey. 



FART III.] POULTRY. 477 

Cold Sliced Turkey. 

If there is a considerable portion of the turkey left over 
from the roast of the previous day, a good plan is to cut 
the dark and white meat into thin slices, and serve for din- 
ner, with warm mashed potato and other plain vegetables. 
The cranberry sauce, if there is any left, will be a good ac- 
companiment. 

Turkey Pie.# 

Instead of cold sliced turkey, as in the last, a pie may 
be made — which many prefer, even to the fresh roast. Take 
all the meat, white and dark, from the bones, rejecting any 
tough skin or gristle (these put along with the bones), and 
cut it in inch bits, slicing the hard muscles that surround 
the "drum-sticks." Set this by for the pie. Then crack 
the bones to pieces, put them and the inferior bits into a 
pot, and cover with cold water ; fit on the lid, and stew 
very slowly three-quarters of an hour ; the pot should sim- 
mer, rather than boil. When the strength is all extracted 
strain out the liquor, adding any gravy left over, and thick- 
en it a trifle with white flour wet smooth with milk or 
water ; return to the fire, let it boil up a moment, and set it 
off. Then peel some potatoes, and cut them in pieces scarcely 
an inch thick ; or if small, into quarters ; you may have 
half or two-thirds the quantity there is of meat. Put these 
into a stew-pan, add a cupful of boiling water, and parboil 
seven to ten minutes ; then drain perfectly dry, cover 
closely, and set where they will keep hot. If cut a little 
smaller, you may omit the parboiling ; they will cook in the 
pie by the time a thick crust is done. 

Now fill a bake-dish nearly full, with the meat and potato 
mixed ; if there are a few crumbs of cold dressing, you 
may put them in ; then pour over the made gravy, filling 
the dish half or two-thirds full ; if there is not quite 
enough, add a little boiling water- Cover with a light 



478 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART I J I. 

cream paste, made as per recipe given for meat pies, and 
rolled half to three-quarters of an inch thick ; secure the 
crust well at the edges, prick with a fork, and cut a cross- 
slit in the center, two inches each way. Set the pie into a 
very even oven, and bake from thirty to forty minutes, 
according to the thickness of the crust ; if the latter is liked 
crisp and brittle, rather than soft and puffy, mix it a trine 
stiffer, roll not quite so thick, and keep in the oven a little 
longer. Serve in the dish in which you bake. 

This pie warmed over, is quite as good as at first ; put 
the remnant in a pan, cover with another, and place in a 
hot oven till well heated through. 

Turkey Scallop. 

When there is cold turkey left over, you may slice the 
meat pretty thin, cutting it across the fiber ; then chop, not 
too fine. You can mix with it a few cold potatoes if you 
like, also chopped, and add any small bits of dressing that 
are left. Prepare a gravy as in the last recipe, by cracking 
the bones (putting in the neck and other poor pieces), cov- 
ering with cold water, and simmering nearly an hour ; after 
straining the liquor add to it any gravy left from the roast, 
thicken a trifle with white flour, bring to a boil, and set 
off to cool. Cover the bottom of a bake-pan with a layer 
of dry bread-crumbs, and then one of the hashed meat (or 
meat and potato), using half of it ; follow with more 
crumbs, and then with the rest of the meat. The dish 
should not be too full; pour over the pie the prepared 
gravy, making the whole quite moist ; add a little boiling 
water, if the gravy gives out. Cover with a layer of very 
fine crumbs, into which you have stirred a beaten egg and 
half a cup of milk or cream ; the batter should be just stiff 
enough to spread nicely over the top. Then smooth with a 
knife, invert an old plate or clean pie-pan over the dish, and 



PART III. J POULTRY. 479 

bake thirty minutes, or till the gravy bubbles up at the 
sides. Brown at the last, and serve in the bake-pan. 
This scallop is very good, but not equal to turkey pie. 

Turkey Stew. 4^ 

Instead of a pie or scallop, a very palatable dish is 
made in this fashion : Take the meat all off the bones, and 
cut it in rather small pieces. Simmer the bones and other 
bits, as in the last two recipes ; then strain out the liquor, 
return it to the pot, add the meat, and any cold gravy left 
over. If there is none, a small bit of butter, or spoonful 
or two of fresh beef gravy will answer. Let the whole 
come to a boil, and then add a few diminutive dumplings, 
made as follows : Mix a light dough, as for cream biscuits, 
pinch off in very small bits, and drop them into the stew ; 
it is better to pinch, than to roll out and cut. If there is 
not sufficient gravy add water, boiling hot ; cover the pot 
closely, and cook ten minutes, or till the dumplings are 
done. Add at the last a spoonful or two of thickening 
made of milk and flour, stirring it gently through the mass; 
then put on the lid, and boil up a moment. Dish, and 
serve immediately. 

Instead of dumplings, bits of toasted bread may be laid 
over the stew, three to five minutes before it is taken up. 
In this case, stir in the thickening as soon as the pot boils, 
and then lay in the toast. Or you may put into a dish the 
slices of toasted bread, or cold biscuits split open and 
slightly browned in a hot oven, and pour the stew over 
them. 

Boned Turkey. 

Having dressed the turkey, put it into a pot just large 
enough to hold it conveniently, and add boiling water to 
about cover. Lay on the lid, and stew slowly till very ten- 
der ; if more water is needed, add it boiling hot. When 
done take out the fowl, and set the pot, covered, where the 



480 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT HI. 

liquor will keep hot till wanted ; there should be less than 
a pint of it. 

After the turkey is cool enough to handle remove the 
skin, slip the meat from the bones, and with the fingers 
separate the larger bits into several pieces. Then fill a deep 
oval dish, mixing the dark and light meat together, so that 
in slicing, the pieces may be well mottled; place in such a 
way that the fibers will run lengthwise of the moulded cake ; 
this enables you to cut across the " grain." When all is in, 
pour the hot liquor over and through the meat, moistening 
the mass thoroughly, but not drenching it; the dish must 
be filled considerably above the level. Cover with an oval 
plate or platter just large enough to fit snugly, set in a 
cool place and put on a weight, as a heavy flat-iron. You 
may slice as soon as cold, or the next day. 

Another way is after boiling, to cut into bits an inch and 
a half or two inches long; fill the dish, mixing the dark and 
light meat, and sprinkling between the layers a cup of fine 
dry bread-crumbs; then moisten with the hot liquor, and 
mould as before. Or you may leave out the crumbs, stir 
into the liquor (hot) one or two rolled crackers, pour it over 
the meat, and mould. 

Roast Chickens. 

Select fowls that have been recently killed, and not stall- 
fed. If already dressed, proceed to singe off the hairs by 
holding each chicken over burning paper, or a bright wood 
blaze. If there are pin-feathers, pick them out with the 
edge of a knife, and then wash the fowls quickly in cold 
water, rinsing well inside. Cut off and save the necks; 
throw out the giblets, except the hearts and gizzards; the 
liver is a filthy, depurating organ (not quite so bad as the 
kidney), and should never be eaten. 

Make a dressing of fine dry bread-crumbs, all of good 
home-made loaf; part Graham is best. Add to the crumbs 



PART HI. J POULTRY. 481 

a small lump of fresh butter, a little dry sage (or other 
herb, if preferred), and moisten with tepid water, stirring 
well as you add it. Do not put in too much water; have 
the dressing light and flaky, not wet and heavy. Fill the 
fowls with this, leaving plenty of room for the dressing to 
swell, and then sew up the vents with a strong thread; fill 
the crops in the same manner, and sew them up; the 
threads must be pulled out before serving. Put the chick- 
ens into a dripping-pan the size to hold them, add a cup 
of boiling water, and roast slowly, very slowly the first half 
hour. Baste every fifteen or twenty minutes, turning as 
needed; and if any part browns too fast, cover it with a 
clean napkin wet in warm water, and folded two or three 
times. Allow from one to two hours for roasting, according 
to size and age; test with a fork, to ascertain when done. 

After the fowls are in the oven cut the giblets into small 
bits, put them and the necks into just enough cold water to 
cover, and stew moderately till tender. When the chickens 
are done, take them out of the pan and make the gravy; 
drain the grease all off the dripping, and set the pan on 
the stove ; then put in the giblets and the liquor in which 
they boiled, thicken with a little browned flour wet with 
milk or water, and boil up a moment. 

Broiled Chicken. 

Take a young chicken, dressed and singed, split it down 
the back, wash quickly in cold water, and dry with a clean 
cloth. Then flatten the breast-bone with a mallet, twist 
back the wings, and place the fowl skin uppermost, not on 
a gridiron, but in a small dripping-pan; press it down as 
flat as possible. Add neither water nor butter, but simply 
set it in a hot oven and shut the door; look at it now and 
then, to see that it does not burn. If very young, the 
chicken should be done in twenty to thirty minutes; if not, 
it may take double that time. Should it brown too fast on 



482 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

top, cover with an oiled paper, or an inverted pie-pan. 
When done, pour over the dripping in the bottom of tne 
dish, provided it is not scorched. 

Another way to cook spring chickens, is to cut them into 
joints, roll these in flour, and lay them in a skillet in which 
you have melted a spoonful of fresh butter, or sweet beef 
dripping; this must be hot, before the chicken is put in. 
Cover closely, turn frequently, and brown well on both 
sides. Cook from thirty to forty minutes, or till tender; 
each piece should be nicely browned, but not burnt. Take 
out when done, and if gravy is wanted add a trifle of boil- 
ing water, and stir in half a cup of milk or cream, thick- 
ened with white flour; boil up just a moment, and pour the 
gravy over the chicken, or into the gravy-boat. 

Smothered Chickens. 

Either cut up two chickens, or leave them whole. Put 
them into a pot, add a pint of boiling water, cover closely, 
and heat very slowly to boiling; then skim, cover again, and 
stew or simmer an hour and a half, or until tender; the 
water should all be evaporated when done. Then turn the 
chickens (or pieces), and brown them in their own gravy; 
if there is not enough of this, add half a spoonful of fresh 
butter, or a little clean beef dripping. 

Another method, not so easy, because of the basting, is 
the following : Split the chickens down the back, flatten as 
for broiling, and then lay them smoothly in the bottom of a 
dripping-pan; add nearly a pint of boiling water, cover 
with another pan the same size, and place in a hot oven; 
cook an hour to an hour and a half, or till thoroughly ten- 
der. Turn them once or twice, and baste several times; 
oftener, at the last. Cover between bastings, and remove 
from the pan when done; then add a little boiling water to 
the dripping, thicken with browned flour, and boil up a 
moment. Pour the gravy over the chickens. 



PART IH.J POULTKYc 483 



Stewed Chicken. 

Cut the chicken into joints, drop into a pot, and cover 
with boiling water; or if the fowl is old, with cold water. 
Heat slowly to a boil, and skim; then stew gently from one 
to two hours, or until tender. Twenty minutes before fin- 
ishing, add a few new potatoes with the skins slipped off; 
or old ones peeled and not too large, will do. Should more 
water be needed, add it boiling hot. If dumplings are 
liked make a light cream paste, pinch off in small bits, and 
drop these in when the potatoes begin to boil; cover closely, 
and cook fifteen to twenty minutes, or till the dumphngs 
are done. Then dish the chicken, potatoes and dumplings 
into a hot tureen, fit on its lid, and set where it will keep 
warm; thicken the gravy in the pot with a little cream an4 
flour, let it boil up a moment, and pour it over the stew. 

Instead of potatoes and dumphngs, you may add half a 
cup of rice, cooking it forty to fifty minutes; no other 
thickening will be needed. 

Chickens Stewed Whole. 

Prepare and stuff two chickens as for roasting, and sew 
them up carefully; you can tie the necks with clean wrap- 
ping-thread, after filling the crops. Put them into a pot, 
add nearly or quite a pint of boiling water (more, if the 
chickens are not young), cover with a closely-fitting lid, 
and bring very slowly to a boil. Skim, cover again, and sim- 
mer, still slowly, for an hour and a half, or till thoroughly 
tender. Little if any filling up should be needed, provided 
you stew slowly; and very little gravy must be left in the 
pot, when the fowls are taken out. Thicken what there is 
with a trifle of browned flour, let it just boil, and pour it 
over the chickens. If preferred, you may stew without 
stuffing. 

32 



484 health in the household. [part ih. 

Chicken Pie. 

Cut up two grown chickens, having the pieces as small 
as possible, drop these into boiling water, and stew till 
nearly tender; if the chickens are old, start in cold water. 
There should be a pint or more of liquor in the pot. when 
it is set off. Then prepare a light cream paste, as per 
recipe hereafter given for meat pies; you may line the sides 
of the bake-pan or not, as you like; or if it is deep, you 
may cover with paste half way down. The bottom is better 
left uncovered; and many prefer to bake in a shallow dish, 
having only a top crust; in this case take an iron bread-pan 
of suitable size, or one of granitized iron. 

When the chickens are sufficiently cooked take out the 
pieces, remove the breast-bones, and cut the breast-meat 
into two or three bits. Put all in the pan, laying each piece 
so that the bones will not interfere with the cutting of the 
pie. If liked, put in some small potatoes cut in quarters, 
or in bits an inch thick, and parboiled ten minutes in a 
very little water. Then thicken the liquor in which the 
chickens were stewed, by stirring in a trifle of white flour 
wet with milk or cream; boil up a moment, and pour it 
over the pie; if there is not enough of the gravy to fill the 
dish half or two-thirds full, add boiling water. Then lay 
on the top crust, rolled about half an inch thick, secure the 
edges, prick well with a fork, and cut a good cross-slit in 
the middle for the escape of steam. Bake from thirty to 
forty minutes, in an even oven; then cool a little, and serve 
in the dish. 

Chicken Scallop. 

This should follow roast chickens, provided the cold meat 
simply sliced, is not preferred. To make the scallop, take 
the meat from the bones, and cut it in half inch bits; then 
put the bones into a pot with cold water to cover them, and 
simmer slowly forty to fifty minutes; if you have a beef or 



PART III. I POULTRY. 



485 



mutton bone, or a bit of cold steak sweet and fresh, put 
that in with the rest. When all the strength is drawn out 
of them strain the liquor, add any gravy left over, and 
thicken a trifle with white flour; then boil up a moment, 
and lift from the fire. Cover the bottom of a dish with dry 
bread-crumbs, lay in the bits of chicken, and a little cold 
chopped potato if you like, filling the pan not quite to the 
top. Then pour over the gravy, and finish with a good 
layer of fine crumbs, into which you have whipped a beaten 
egg and a half a cup of milk. Bake, covered, in a moderate 
oven half an hour, browning at the last. 

Chicken Pot-Pie. 

The chicken pot-pie of forty years ago, which the Caro- 
lina people and their descendants used to make for log- 
rollings, wool-pickings, quiltings, etc., was after this fashion 
(we whose mothers made them, have not forgotten the pro- 
cess): First, the chickens were cut up — not very young 
ones, but " good fat hens " — and stewed till nearly tender ; 
then the pieces were lifted out, and the liquor saved to 
moisten the pie. The latter was made in an old-fashioned 
bake-kettle or "Dutch oven," as it was commonly called; 
this was a large pot eight or nine inches in depth, with per- 
pendicular sides and a horizontal bottom; it stood on three 
legs — over a bed of live coals when it held a loaf of bread 
or a pot-pie, in process of baking. At such times, it was 
covered with a heavy iron lid that had a rim around it, to 
keep the hot coals from falling off. 

But to the pie. The crust was made of light biscuit 
dough, white flour (Graham cream paste would have been 
better); this being rolled into oval sheets half or three- 
quarters of an inch thick, was so placed as to line the sides 
of the kettle, and a portion of the bottom; the center was 
always left bare. The pieces of chicken were then laid in, 
till the bottom was well covered ; these were followed by 



486 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

bits of the paste, either pinched off, or rolled and cut into 
squares ; some added new potatoes, half as large as a hen's 
egg. Then came more chicken and more dumplings, with 
or without the potatoes ; bits of butter rolled in flour were 
also interspersed, to say nothing of a light sprinkling of 
those "contraband" articles, pepper and salt. One thing 
did not go in, at least in our section of the country, viz., 
salt pork, or any kind of pork. It was as foreign to chicken 
pot-pie, as Bologna sausage to peach cobbler. 

After filling the kettle to within an inch and a half of the 
top, the liquor that had been saved was poured in ; there 
was enough of this to come pretty well up the sides of the 
pot, and almost cover the pie. Next in order came the top 
crust, a thick sheet like the others ; and the edges being 
well secured, a big crOss-slit was made in the middle, and 
the whole surface well pricked with a fork to prevent blis- 
tering. The kettle had now to be placed over a bed of 
coals on the hearth, and its lid laid on ; this latter having 
been heated — but not to redness — over the main fire, was 
covered with two or three shovelfuls of bright coals. 
Every now and then the cook lifted the lid with a big 
wooden poker, and turned the kettle quarter way round, to 
give all sides a chance to bake, from the heat of the blazing 
fire before which it stood, and over which hung another 
dinner pot, suspended from the crane or trammel. An iron 
tea-kettle full of boiling water, stood directly in front of 
the open fire ; and if the pie needed more gravy (always a 
debatable question), the next time the lid was lifted and the 
kettle turned, a little hot water could be poured into it 
through the cross-slit in the center. In from forty to fifty 
minutes the crust was thoroughly done, and the pie ready 
to dish. 

In these latter days of cook-stoves and kitchen ranges, 
this pie is usually made in an iron bread-pan, and baked in the 
oven. A " kettle pie " is sometimes made the same as the 






PART in.] POULTRY. 487 

one just described, and cooked by hanging the pot, covered, 
over the fire, and boiling, or rather stewing it half an hour, 
till the paste is done. It is better, however, to omit the 
bottom crust altogether, as it would be apt to scorch. 

The chicken-pie proper, that fed the preacher at Quarterly 
Meeting times, was somewhat different; it was made as fol- 
lows : Good, deep pie-pans were lined with ordinary pie- 
crust, made pretty short ; the pieces of parboiled chicken 
(young " spring chicken ") were laid in, care being taken to 
place them so that in cutting, the knife would miss the 
bones. Having filled the dish the liquor was added, plus 
the pepper and salt (more contraband), with small bits of 
butter rubbed in flour, to thicken. Then the top crust was 
laid on, its edges well secured by notching with the thumb 
and finger, and a good cross-slit made in the center. After 
pricking well with a fork, the pies were baked and set away, 
to be eaten cold for lunch ; or they might be warmed 
through for next day's dinner. 

Pressed Chicken. 

Dress two or three grown chickens, and stew whole in 
about as much water as will cook them ; for two chickens 
you might put in, say a pint and a half of boiling water to 
start with. If more is nee.ded, it can be added afterward ; 
stew very slowly, keeping the pot closely covered ; there 
should be half a pint of liquor remaining, when done. It 
will require from an hour to an hour and a half, possibly 
longer if the chickens are not young, to cook them suffi- 
ciently. When thoroughly tender remove the bones, and 
lay the meat in a deep oval dish, placing it so that the fibers 
will He all in one direction, viz., the long way of the dish ; 
for in slicing the pressed loaf, you will cut across it (not 
lengthwise), and also across the grain or fiber. Mix the 
dark and light parts well together, as you place the meat; 
and when all is in, pour the liquor (which must be hot) over 



488 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

and through it ; the dish must be filled considerably more 
than level. Then cover with an oval plate or platter of 
suitable size, and so placed as to fit snugly to the loaf ; put 
a weight on it, and set in a cool place. When thoroughly 
cold it is ready to slice. 

Some spr inkl e very dry bread-crumbs, or cracker-dust 
through the meat, before adding the liquor. 



WILD BIKDS AND OTHEK GAME. 

These are brought into our markets and sold in almost 
every conceivable condition, and stage of decay. If the 
sportsman and the " middle man " would take pains to have 
the birds carefully drawn as soon as killed, and a good fresh 
lump of charcoal placed in the cavity of each, it would be 
a great advantage to the salesman, as well as a satisfaction 
to the purchaser — to say nothing of the bad consequences 
which follow, in a sanitary point of view, from the use of 
meats that are in a state of semi-putrefaction. It is to be 
hoped that the time will come, when the consumer and pro- 
ducer will be brought nearer together; when provisions of 
all kinds will be shipped directly, or with as little delay as 
possible, to the points of final distribution. For the pres- 
ent, however, we must take things as we find them. 

The birds, if recently killed and properly dressed, will 
simply need a thorough rinsing in pure cold water, and dry- 
ing with a clean cloth. But if there is the slightest suspi- 
cion that they are not perfectly sweet, stir a teaspoonful of 
soda into a quart of cold water, wash well with this, and 
then rinse, using ice-water if you have it. Before cooking, 
remove any shot that may be lodged in the flesh, and cut 
away the bruised or discolored portions. If you can not 
cook immediately, dry the birds well inside after rinsing, 
and either put in a lump of fresh charcoal (or a lemon with 
the rind removed), or fill with fresh-sliced onions, to absorb 



PART III.] WILD BIRDS AND OTHER GAME. 489 

the gases. Then keep in the coldest place possible, till 
wanted. 

Wild Pigeons. 

These may be cooked either by roasting or stewing; they 
are too tough to broil well. If roasted, stuff with a dress- 
ing of bread-crumbs, as you would a chicken, place the 
birds closely together in a small dripping-pan, and add a 
cup of warm water with a spoonful of fresh dripping, or 
butter. Cover with another pan the same size, and roast 
slowly, basting often ; if more water is needed, add it a lit- 
tle at a time, and boiling hot. When thoroughly tender lift 
to a dish, turn another over it, and set where they will keep 
warm; thicken the gravy in the pan with a little browned 
flour, adding a trifle of boiling water if necessary ; then 
heat a moment, and pour it out. 

For stewing, you may stuff them or not, as is convenient; 
if stuffed, sew up the vents carefully. Then put them into 
a pot, add a cupful of cold water, and simmer covered very 
slowly for an hour and a half, or till tender and well brown- 
ed; turn them two or three times, covering the pot between 
turnings. If cooked sufficiently slowly, no filling up will be 
needed; but should water have to be added, see that it is 
boiling. When done take out the birds, put them into a 
hot dish, cover, and set in the oven to keep warm ; then 
thicken the gravy with a little browned flour, or cream and 
flour, boil up a moment, and pour it over. 

Pigeons are sometimes cooked in this way: Stuff as for 
roasting or stewing, and pack them into a wide-mouthed 
jug, or other closed vessel; a tin bucket will do, covered 
with a closely-fitting lid. Put in a cup of weak gravy, and 
cook in a pot of boiling water three hours, or until tender. 
Then dish, thicken the gravy remaining, and pour it over 
them. This is called, " jugged " pigeons. Rabbits or 
squirrels may be jointed, and cooked in the same way; you 
may put in with them a sliced onion, if it is liked. 



490 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET in. 

Pigeon Pie. 

dean and wash the pigeons, cut in quarters, and stew till 
nearly tender; start them in boiling water, removing any 
scum that rises. When done take them out; there should 
be a pint or more of the liquor in which they boiled; thicken 
this with a little white flour, wet to a smooth paste with 
milk or water, let it come to a boil, and set it off. Line a 
bake-pan with light cream paste, made as per recipe for 
meat-pies, hereafter given; or if preferred, cover only the 
sides of the pan, leaving the bottom bare. Then lay in half 
the birds, adding small bits of paste, pinched off, and 
dropped in here and there; or you may put in two or three 
parboiled potatoes, not sliced, but cut in small pieces. Add 
the rest of the birds, and also the thickened liquor; if there 
is not enough of this, put in boiling water; the pie should 
be more than half covered with the gravy. Then lay on the 
top crust, rolled half an inch thick, pinch the edges securely 
together, and cut a cross-slit in the center. Prick well with 
a fork, and bake from thirty to forty minutes, or till the 
crust is done. 

Some stew with the pigeons bits of lamb; the rib is best; 
have it cut into short lengths, and as you place the meat in 
the pie, mix it and the birds well together. Or you may 
take the remnants of cold lamb, though the newly cooked is 
better. 

Quails, Grouse, Etc. 

The birds known as partridges, quails, grouse, etc., are 
all cooked in about the same way. First dry-pick, singe, 
and cut off the heads and feet; then draw, split down the 
back, and rinse thoroughly in cold water. If not in prime 
condition as to freshness, wash quickly in soda-water (using 
a teaspoonful of soda to a quart of the liquid), then rinse 
well, and dry with a clean cloth. You may roast, stew or 
broil, as preferred. 






PART in.] WILD BIRDS AND OTHER GAME. 491 

Roasted. 
Stuff the birds with a dressing of bread-crumbs, the same 
as chicken; lay them closely together in an iron pan, add a 
cup of hot water and a lump of fresh butter, or a spoonful 
of fresh dripping if you have it. Baste frequently, and 
cover toward the last if there is need; have rather a slow 
oven, and cook the smaller birds forty to sixty minutes, or 
until tender. The larger ones, as prairie-fowls, will take 
from one to two hours, according to age. When done lift 
them out, add a little thickening made of browned flour and 
water — cream is better — and let the gravy come to a boil. 
Serve with mashed potato, stewed turnips, or other plain 
vegetables; and have for dessert, fresh oranges, or cranberry 
or other tart sauce. 

Stewed. 

Clean, and stuff or not, as it is convenient; if stuffed, sew 
up tight to keep in the dressing. Put the birds into a pot, 
add a cupful of boning water, and stew slowly ; turn once 
or twice, as they cook. Or if preferred, you may cut them 
into joints or quarters, put in water as before, and stew very 
slowly till tender ; keep the pot closely covered. There 
should be just enough liquor left for gravy; when done take 
out the birds, thicken with a little browned flour wet with 
milk or w r ater, heat the gravy to a boil, and pour it over. 

Broiled. 
After cleaning, split the pigeons down the back, rinsing 
well, and drying with a clean cloth. Then flatten each with 
a steak-pounder, and broil on a gridiron over a bed of clean 
coals; it will take fifteen or twenty minutes to cook them. 
A good way, since it saves the trouble of broiling over a hot 
fire, is to flatten as before, lay them smoothly on the bottom 
of a dripping-pan, and then place in a hot oven. They will 
be done in about the same time, and require no attention 
except to see that they do not burn. 



492 health in the household. [part iil 

Quail on Toast. 

This relished titbit, as ordinarily prepared, is simply a 
broiled quail on dry toast, each plentifully saturated while 
hot, with melted butter. A more wholesome dish — though 
too moist for a dry lunch — is the following: First clean and 
truss, then lay (without stuffing) in a dripping-pan, add a 
cup of warm water or diluted gravy with a bit of fresh 
butter in it, and place in the oven; baste frequently till 
done. A few minutes before finishing, get ready the toast; 
take good home-made Graham loaf two days old, slice it 
rather thin, and brown evenly on both sides, leaving the 
bread just a trifle moist between the crusted surfaces; then 
break the latter with a stiff knife to make it tender. When 
you have lifted out the birds lay them on the hot toast, one 
to each slice, thicken the gravy with a little browned flour, 
or cream and flour, and pour it over. 

Prairie-Fowls. 

These are a species of grouse, and are cooked by roasting, 
stewing or broiling, according to the recipes just given. Or 
you may stuff them, steam till tender, and then brown in 
the oven. Or if preferred, fill with a dressing, and stew in a 
tightly closed pot with very little water, till done ; then 
brown ten minutes, basting with the liquor left from stewing. 
Dish the fowls, thicken the gravy with a trifle of browned 
flour, boil up a moment, and pour it over them. Serve with 
cranberry sauce or other acid fruit, or follow with tart 
oranges as a dessert. 

If a choice stew is wanted, take only the legs, wings and 
breast, stew till tender, and then brown in the oven as 
before. 

Small Birds. 

The smaller birds, as the snipe, woodcock, etc., are 
dressed and cooked the same as partridges or quails ; if 



PART III.] WILD BIRDS AND OTHER GAME. 493 

broiled on a gridiron, the latter should be of wire, and the 
wires not too far apart ; they will broil (or roast) in from 
fifteen to twenty minutes. If roasted, a good way after 
cleaning and rinsing, is to lay them, unstuffed, into a 
dripping-pan, add a cup of weak gravy — or warm water 
with a bit of butter — for basting, and place in a hot oven. 
Then cut some slices of good home-made loaf, a little stale, 
and toast these evenly on both sides, leaving the bread a 
trifle soft between its browned surfaces. Five minutes 
before the birds are done, put a slice of toast under each of 
them ; baste once or twice, lift to a platter, thicken the 
gravy with a little browned flour, and pour it over. 

Partridge or Quail Pie. 

Clean the birds, cut them in halves or quarters, and cover 
with boiling water ; stew slowly till almost tender ; then 
lift out the pieces, and leave the liquor in the pot. Make a 
light cream paste, as per recipe hereafter given, and line a 
bake-pan with it, rolling the crust about half an inch thick. 
Or if preferred, cover the sides of the dish, leaving the 
bottom bare ; then lay in the birds, and add a little par- 
boiled potato cut in small bits, if you like them ; you may 
put in some pieces of cold lamb, if you have it. Pinch off 
a few very small bits of the paste, and drop here and there 
over the pie ; these diminutive dumplings should lie in the 
spaces between the more prominent pieces of meat, giving 
room to swell. Stir into the liquor in the pot a little white 
flour wet with milk, cream or water, let it come to a boil, 
and take it for moistening ; if there is not enough to cover 
rather more than half of the pie, put in boiling water. 
Then lay on the top crust rolled half or three-quarters of 
an inch thick, and press firmly together at the edges; prick 
well with a fork, cut a good cross-slit in the middle, and 
bake with a moderate heat thirty to forty minutes. If the 
crust is liked soft, mix the dough not very stiff, and bake 



494 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

till just done, in rather a quick oven. But if you prefer it 
crisp, mix it a trine stiff er, and roll not more than a third 
of an inch thick ; have an even oven, and bake a little 
longer ; do not scorch. This pie is excellent warmed over. 
If you have not enough birds for the pasty, boil in the 
same or a separate pot some pieces of lamb, or tender 
mutton ; the rib chopped in short lengths, and trimmed of 
most of its fat, is good. Or you may parboil a young 
chicken, or a rabbit or squirrel, and mix with the quails. 

Squirrels and Rabbits. 

Squirrels and rabbits are cooked in the same way, except 
that rabbits take a little longer time. They must be 
dressed with the utmost care; instruct the cook also to sep- 
arate the pelvic bones, and remove every trace of the lower 
intestine, some portions of which are apt to be left. Wash 
well, taking out any shot that may be lodged in the flesh, 
and cut away the bruised or discolored parts ; then drop 
into very cold water, and soak twenty to thirty minutes, 
before cooking. You may either broil or stew. 

Broiled. 

If you broil, see that the squirrels (or rabbits) are very 
young, and therefore tender. After soaking, dry well with 
a clean cloth, and gash them down the back through the 
thickest portion ; then flatten each, place it on a gridiron, 
and broil over a bed of clear coals, turning often. Or you 
may lay them smooth on the bottom of a dripping-pan, and 
cook in a hot oven without basting ; oil the pan slightly 
with a little sweet dripping, or a bit of fresh butter ; they 
should be done in half an hour. 

Stewed. . 

Having cleaned and soaked them, cut into joints, drop 
into a pot, and cover with boiling water; then slice in an 



PART III.] WILD BIRDS AND OTHER GAME. 495 

onion, and stew slowly one hour, or until tender; some put 
in a young chicken, also cut up, stewing all together. At 
the end of half an hour you may add a few potatoes, peeled, 
and cut in quarters; and if liked, some small bits of light 
paste, after the potatoes get fairly to boiling. When all 
are done stir in a little cream thickened with white flour, 
boil up a moment, and dish for the table. 

Another way, is to put into a wide sauce-pan a spoonful 
of dripping, heat it till hot, and slice in an onion; you may 
add if you like, any sweet herbs, cut fine; then lay in a 
couple of rabbits or squirrels, cover, and heat till they begin 
to brown. Turn, and brown again slightly; be very careful 
that they do not scorch; then add a cup of boiling w T ater, 
cover closely, and stew, or rather simmer one hour, or until 
tender. If the water should get too low, pour in a little, 
boiling hot. Take them out when done, thicken the gravy 
with browned flour, or cream and flour wet to a smooth 
paste, boil up a moment, and pour it over. Or you may 
cut into joints, brown and stew as before, and when quite 
tender lay upon slices of toast, and pour the gravy over the 

whole. 

Squirrel Pie. 

Clean and soak the squirrels, and cut them in joints; drop 
these into boiling water, enough to cover, add a little 
chopped onion or parsley if liked, and stew slowly till about 
tender, keeping the lid on. Then take out the meat, leav- 
ing the liquor in the pot. Make a light cream paste, using 
equal parts of sifted Graham and white flour, and line a 
bake-pan with it; or a better way is to cover the sides only. 
Lay in the squirrel, arranging the pieces conveniently for 
cutting; then add or not, as you like, some potato cut in 
bits an inch thick, and parboiled ten minutes in a very little 
water. If you have some cold lamb or mutton, you may 
slice and add it; or a little cold beef, young and tender, and 
cut in small pieces, will not be amiss. Thicken the liquor 



496 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

left from stewing, by stirring in a little white flour wet with 
inilk or cream, an'd bringing to a boil; there should be 
enough gravy to cover about two-thirds of the pie; if there 
is not, add boiling water — or half -boiled soup if you have it, 
is better. Then pinch off some very small bits of the paste, 
and drop them in between the pieces of meat, or meat and 
potato. Put on the top crust, rolling it half to three-quar- 
ters of an inch thick, secure the edges, and prick well with 
a fork; cut a good cross-slit in the center, and bake in an 
even oven from thirty to forty minutes, or till the crust is 
done. Serve in the dish. 

Kabbit pie is made in the same way; it is milder in flavor 
if part chicken or lamb is used, or even mutton. A rib 
piece (of lamb or mutton) is best; it may be stewed with 
the rabbits, the ribs being cut into short lengths, and most 
of the fat removed. 

Game Pie. 

Stew together young birds, and a young squirrel if you 
have it, till all are two-thirds done; the birds should be cut 
in halves or quarters, according to their size, and the squir- 
rel into joints. Save no giblets, except the hearts and giz- 
zards; cut these into small bits, and stew with the rest; 
start in boiling water, cover closely, and stew rather slowly. 
When the meat is sufficiently cooked, take it out; there 
should be liquor enough left in the pot to make the gravy; 
stir into this a little white flour wet to a smooth paste with 
milk, cream or water, let it come to a boil, and set it off. 
line a dish with light cream paste, and put in a layer of the 
meat; then add a thin layer of stale bread-crumbs moistened 
with warm milk or cream, and sprinkled with a little dry 
sage, thyme or parsley, or a combination of these (using 
them sparingly), if they are liked. Put in the rest of the 
meat, and two or three potatoes cut small — not sliced — and 
parboiled in a little water eight minutes; some like a few 
pinches of the paste, tucked in between the larger pieces of 



PART III.] FISH. 497 

meat; if the latter is very lean, add bits of butter, rolled in 
flour. Now fill up with the gravy, and lay on a top crust 
rolled half an inch thick; prick well with a fork, cut a large 
cross-slit in the middle, and bake in a moderate oven about 
forty minutes ; cover, if there is danger of scorching. If 
preferred, you can have a top crust only, and not bake 
quite so long. 

FISH. 

Fish is not more wholesome or nutritious than other 
meats; indeed, good beef or mutton is to be preferred to 
either "fish or fowl." Fowls, as already stated, are not as 
clean-feeding as cattle and sheep; and the fishes, if not car- 
nivorous in their habits, are at least piscivorous, since they 
eat each other. Their food is relatively of a low grade, and 
their organization the same; hence their strong odor, and 
the coarse and unnutritious quality of their flesh. There is 
a great difference in the kinds, however, some (in the trop- 
ics) being actually poisonous — owing, no doubt, to the 
nature of the food they subsist upon. After a meal of fish, 
or of certain wild fowls, there is often experienced thirst or 
f everishness, due of course, to the " nonusable " substances 
contained in the aliment, and which the system is in haste 
to get rid of. On the other hand, cattle and sheep, and in- 
deed all domestic animals, are more liable to be affected 
by disease, than are any of the wild animals, the birds of 
the air, or the inhabitants of the great waters, including 
the "vasty deep." It follows, therefore, that those who 
live upon a flesh diet, will have to choose between evils. 

Fish not absolutely fresh, makes very indifferent eating; 
in selecting, see that the flesh is firm and hard, the fins stiff, 
and the scales bright; the gills should be a clear red, and 
the eyes not sunken, but full and prominent. 



498 health in the household. [paet iii. 

Boiled Fish. 

Whatever the method of cooking, buy only fresh fish, and 
have them properly dressed. After removing the scales, 
rinse well in very cold water; and if there is any dark co- 
agulated blood on the inside, lying along the back-bone, 
scrape it carefully out with a knife, and rinse again thor- 
oughly. 

To boil — or simmer, for the water must not even bubble 
— wrap the fish in a coarse net, through which you can 
easily test with a fork, to see if it is done. Or a nicer way 
perhaps, as both the form and flavor are better preserved, 
is to sew around it a single thickness of coarse linen cloth 
of rather loose texture. Cook in a fish-kettle, if you have 
one; this is an oblong vessel with a perforated tin plate 
suspended in it, upon which the fish is laid; the plate has a 
handle at each end for lifting it out. If you have none, 
use a pot or pan with a bottom wide enough not to crowd. 
Barely cover with water that is just ready to boil, and set 
where it will keep hot, but will not bubble; remove any 
scum that rises. Continue the cooking till done, allowing, 
say ten to fifteen minutes to the pound, according to 
thickness, kind of fish, etc. ; when wrapped in a cloth, a lit- 
tle longer time would be required. Keep the lid on till 
finished. If the flavor is liked, slice and boil two or three 
onions in a separate pot, cooking till they are about done ; 
then drain off the water, and turn them into the fish-kettle; 
some add a little parsley also. Use the fork from time to 
time, and as soon as the fish is tender remove from the fire, 
lift out, and drain; too much cooking will spoil it; and too 
little is equally detrimental to the flavor. 

Serve with lemon juice, if it is liked. Or a plain sauce 
may be made, as follows : Bub together a tablespoonful of 
fresh butter, and the same of white flour; then stir into this 
mixture the liquor (a cupful) drained from the fish; it 



part in.] FISH. 499 

should be warm, not hot. When well mixed, heat the sauce 
to boiling, and pour it over. 

Another way, is to substitute thin cream or new milk for 
the fish-liquor; after mixing with the butter and flour, heat' 
just to a boil, but no more. Still another sauce is made by 
sthiing into the liquor the butter and flour rubbed to- 
gether, and then adding half a cup of milk in which you 
have boiled a shallot, and a head of celery chopped fine; 
these must be strained out before the milk is added. Boil 
one minute, stir in a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and 
take from the fire. These sauces, though not hygienic, are 
relatively simple. 

Baked Fish.=£ 

Baked fish, like roast turkey, depends more upon the 
manner of cooking for its richness of flavor, than almost 
any other dish. But first of all, the fish itself must be en- 
tirely fresh, and the cleaning thoroughly done. Be very 
sure that you lay it open its whole length, and see if there 
is any dark, coagulated blood lying on either side of the 
back-bone; if so, scrape it all out with a knife, and rinse 
thoroughly (but do not soak) in cold water. The fish should 
be cooked very soon after purchasing; if there is any delay, 
keep it in the coldest place possible, till wanted. 

The best way to bake it, is as follows : Fold it together, 
lay it in a dripping-pan, add a cup of boiling water, and 
place in a very moderate oven; it must cook slowly, espec- 
ially in the start. Baste pretty often, quite often toward the 
last, and by all means do not let the pan get dry; add boil- 
ing water — not too much — from time to time, as it is need- 
ed. Some pour over a little tomato stewed till smooth, half 
an hour before finishing. For a fish weighing three or f our 
pounds, bake slowly and steadily, all of two hours; a smaller 
one will require about an hour and a half. Should the 
oven chance to get too hot, cover with another pan, and re- 
duce the heat as soon as possible. White fish should be an 
33 



500 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

even buff color when done, and the gravy, of which there 
should be two or three spoonfuls, thick and jelly-like; pour 
this over when dished, and send directly to the table. Shad, 
and some other fish, may be filled with a dressing of bread- 
crumbs moistened slightly with tepid water, and a little 
dry sage or chopped parsley mixed through it; then sew 
up securely, and bake as before. The added dressing, 
however, is not an improvement on the method just de- 
scribed. Some relish the fish better with a little lemon 
juice squeezed over; though a better way, is to send round 
the lemons cut in quarters. Serve with mashed or baked 
potato, and stewed white turnips or other plain vegetables. 

After a dinner with baked fish, a dessert of tart fresh 
oranges is in place ; and at the supper following it, you will 
likely welcome canned gooseberries, sour cherries, or cran- 
berry sauce. 

Broiled Fish. 

Clean, rinse well with eold water, inside and out, and 
wipe dry with a cloth. Lay the fish flat on a gridiron, skin 
uppermost, and broil over a bed of clear coals till the under 
side is evenly browned. Then turn, and brown the other 
side in the same way. It will take from twenty to thirty 
minutes to broil a fish of ordinary size. 

Brook Trout. # 

These, and other small fish, fresh from the running 
streams, are good cooked as follows : Put some fresh but- 
ter or dripping into a skillet or iron pan, and set it on the 
stove till hot, but not scorching. After cleaning, split the 
fish open from head to tail, so they will lie flat; then dip 
each into corn or oat meal, and lay it smoothly, flesh side 
down, in the hot skillet or pan. Brown moderately on the 
under side, then turn, and brown the other. If properly 
done, they will be better — and the trouble less — than if 
broiled on a gridiron. 






PART in.] FISH. 501 

Brook trout are sometimes baked, in this way: First dress 
them nicely, and if you can take the trouble, remove the 
bones carefully with the fingers. Then arrange the fish in 
a bake-pan, scattering bread-crumbs between the layers ; 
moisten the crumbs with half a cup of meat gravy, or you 
may drop in little bits of fresh butter. When the pan is 
full, add, say a cup of boiling water, cover closely, and 
set it in the oven. Bake with a moderate heat, from an 
hour and a half to two hours ; baste if there is need, and 
cover the top if it browns too fast. If the pan is in danger 
of going dry, add part of a cup of water, boiling hot. 
When done, there should be a very little moisture in the 
bottom of the dish. 

Salt Fish. 

Fish, as already stated, must be considered inferior to 
beef or mutton — and all meats less wholesome than fruits 
and grains. What then can we say of salt fish ? If it was 
poor before salting, it is worse afterward ; the muscular 
fibers are hardened and toughened with the antiseptic, and 
to get rid of the latter, much of the nutrient properties con- 
tained must necessarily be lost in soaking and boiling. 
Briefly stated, salt fish is "mighty poor eating." But if the 
country people will live on it, instead of raising and eating 
an abundance of choice fruits, vegetables and grains, the 
next best thing, of course, is to teach them (if they do not 
know already) how to cook the article in the least objection- 
able way. 

Mackerel. — (Salt. ) 

Salt mackerel requires a long time to soak; twenty-four 
hours would scarcely more than suffice to freshen it. If it 
has to be done in shorter time, start the fish to soak in tepid 
water, and change three or four times. When sufficiently 
fresh you may drop it into ice-water, and let it stand an 
hour to harden a little. Then broil, bake or boil, as suits 
you best. 



502 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HI.. 

If you broil, dry the fish with a clean cloth, lay it on a 
gridiron well oiled, and brown slightly; then turn with ex- 
treme care, using a cake-turner for fear of breaking it. 
Brown the other side in the same way, and lift to a plate. 

Or you may lay it after thorough soaking, into a drip- 
ping-pan, place in a hot oven ten minutes, and then remove ; 
set the pan on top of the stove, and pour in a cup of thin 
cream — some use half milk; when this is hot, stir in a little 
flour wet with milk or water to a smooth paste, and then 
heat just to a boil. Cooking a moment too long after the 
thickening is added, spoils the dressing. 

To boil mackerel, soak till fresh, as just described, then 
barely cover it with cold water, and heat to bubbling, keep- 
ing the vessel tightly closed. Drain well, and lay it on a 
hot plate; the only dressing needed is a little drawn butter, 
prepared as follows: Rub together a tablespoonful of white 
flour and one of fresh butter, stir in gradually a cup of hot 
water, heat to boiling, and cook one minute; then pour the 
sauce over the fish. 

Serve mackerel and other salt fish with plenty of good 
mashed potato ; and if for dinner, accompany it with 
boiled white turnips, if you like them. 

This and other salt fish, should never be eaten in hot 

weather. 

Codfish. — (Salt. ) 

Salt codfish must be freshened, before it is cooked ; then 
it may be boiled, baked or broiled, or cooked in other ways, 
the principal of which are hereafter described. 

Boiled. 
First freshen the fish. This is usually done by soaking 
it over night in tepid water, and changing once or twice. A 
quicker way, however, is the following: Shred the cod into 
strips the size of your finger, throwing out all the bone, 
skin, and other imperfect portions that may lie imbedded 



part in.] FISH. 503 

between the muscles. Then cut it across the " grain " into 
inch lengths, put these into a pot, and pour in a quantity of 
cold water; more than enough to cover. Do this several 
hours before the fish is wanted, put on the lid, and set the 
pot on the back of the stove where it will heat slowly. Just 
as it is coming to a boil remove from the fire, drain off all 
the water, and re-fill with cold; heat again, covered, as be- 
forehand drain. By this time the cod will probably be 
fresh enough ; if it is not, repeat the process once more, 
adding less cold water. Cover closely, and simmer, heating 
barely to the boiling point ; then pour off all the water, 
and add a cup of thin cream ; heat again to boiling, and 
thicken with a very little white flour; this last should be wet 
with milk to a smooth paste, before stirring it in. Watch 
with a " hawk's eye " (using the spoon), and the moment 
the mixture begins to bubble, lift from the fire; if it comes 
fully to a boil, the delicate flavor of the dressing is lost. 

Baked. 

To bake salt codfish, you must first wash and scrape it, 
removing the scales, and then freshen it thoroughly by 
soaking several hours, or over night ; change the water to- 
ward the last, and let it soak a little longer. When you have 
done this, put it into a dripping-pan with a few spoonfuls 
of tepid water, and bake, covered, allowing twenty to thirty 
minutes for a piece of two or three pounds' weight ; the 
water should then be about all out. Before removing from 
the oven, pour over the cod a little milk or cream, thickened 
with just a trifle of flour; let the dressing barely begin to 
boil, take out, dish, and send to the table. Serve this and 
the last with boiled or mashed potato. 

Broiled. 

Salt codfish may be broiled as follows : First freshen as 
for boiling, except that the shredding is omitted. Then 



504 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

drop it into very cold water half an hour, to harden ; oil 
the gridiron with a little fresh suet, dry the cod with a clean 
cloth, and broil over a clear fire till the under side is 
browned; then turn it carefully, and brown the other side. 

Codfish Toast. 

Boil the cod as in the last recipe but two, finish with the 
cream dressing, and then pour it over slices of dry toast. 
Or you may cover the bottom of a dish with broken crack- 
ers, or cold biscuits split in two and half toasted, and pour 
it over these. Serve with mashed potato. Some stir in a 
beaten egg, after taking the codfish from the fire ; but this 
is hardly necessary, the cream gravy being quite sufficient. 

Codfish Scallop. 

Prepare and boil the cod, as in the recipe already given, 
only leave out the cream gravy. Then dry some stale 
bread-crumbs in the oven, and fill a dish with alternate 
layers of crumbs and fish, beginning and ending with the 
latter; moisten each layer of the crumbs with the water in 
which the fish was boiled, or with a little sweet milk. When 
all is in, cover with newly mashed potato wet with milk or 
cream, and bake twenty minutes. 

Codfish Cakes. ■ 

Pick the cod apart, in pieces the size of your two fingers ? 
throwing out the bones, skin, and any imperfect portions; 
then cut across the grain or fiber, into very short lengths — 
an inch or less. When this is done, freshen the fish as for 
boning, by covering it with cold water and bringing 
very slowly to a boil; drain off all the water, add more 
cold, and heat again. Repeat the process until the salt is 
out (say two or three times), using for the last water 
barely enough to cover ; keep the pot tightly closed ; if the 
odor goes over the house, the flavor will be out of the dish 






PART in.] HOW ABOUT OYSTERS? 505 

at dinner. If at the end of the soaking the cod is not very 
tender, simmer it in the last water ten to fifteen minutes 
but do not let it boil. Then drain, and while the fish is 
warm shred it as fine as possible, and add twice the amount 
of newly mashed potato, hot, and with the lumps all out ; 
pour in a little cream or milk (some add a lump of butter) 
before mashing. Then mix as thoroughly as possible 
the codfish and potato, stirring lightly with a fork ; 
form with the hands into little round cakes or balls, 
flouring them a trifle if they are so wet as to be sticky. 
Bake in a hot oven fifteen or twenty minutes, browning 
moderately. 

Instead of forming into cakes, you may add more milk, 
making the mixture quite soft; then pour it into a pudding- 
dish, and bake twenty minutes. Or you may mix stiff, as 
before, and make into thin flat cakes; brown these on the 
griddle, turning when the under side is done. 

Codfish and Potato. 

Prepare the same as for cakes, in the preceding recipe; 
you may use fresh cod instead of salted, if you have it. 
Then mix the fish wdth the mashed potato w T et with cream 
or milk, as in the last. Put the mixture — which should be 
pretty moist — into a stew-pan or skillet, and heat till it is 
smoking hot, stirring lightly but constantly; some add 
parsley for seasoning. 

HOW ABOUT OYSTEKS? 

It has already been stated that meat — the best of it, as 
beef or mutton — must rank lower than grains, both in the 
quantity and quality of nutritive substance contained; that 
fish and fowl are inferior to meats; and it may here be added, 
that oysters, clams, etc., belong to still a lower grade of ani- 
mal foods. They stimulate, rather than nourish; and this is 



506 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IH. 

another way of saying that they contain, in proportion to 
their nutritive elements, a large per cent, of matter so poor 
in quality, that the system can not utilize it. Indeed, how 
could it be otherwise ? The oyster is a creature of low or- 
ganization; it lives, moves, and has its being, down in the 
still waters, among beds of slime. Its food is on a par 
with its surroundings; and as might be expected, its depu- 
rating organs (which we must eat, along with the balance of 
it) are relatively large. Its liver — which is that dark sub- 
stance in it — is said to be larger than all the rest of the 
oyster put together; and like all other livers, it must neces- 
sarily be filled with excrementitious matter. The oyster is 
said to contain about 12J per cent, of solid material — such 
as it is. 

MEAT PIES, Etc. 

Pies or " pasties " are made not only with chicken, turkey 
or wild fowl, but with beef, mutton or lamb. There are 
various kinds of paste used in these " family dishes," the 
principal of which are given below. The first and best 
(which we have had on a former page), is the light cream 
paste, made of equal parts sifted Graham and white flour, 
the latter of the coarser brands ; very fine flour, as the 
" superfine," has the life ground out of it, and is not fit for 
either bread or paste. 

Before making the pies, boil the meat till it is nearly 
done; then mix the paste, make, set in the oven, and bake 
no longer than is required to cook the crust. Put enough 
gravy in at the start, and little or no filling up will be need- 
ed; if it must be done, add the water boiling hot. The 
pie-pan may be deep or shallow, and of any size or shape. 
Some line it throughout, before putting in the meat; others 
line the sides only, leaving the bottom uncovered; and still 
others prefer to bake in a long shallow dish, and have only 



I? ART in.] MEAT PIES, ETC. 507 

a top crust. This latter is the better way, if you want the 
crust light, tender, and well done. 

In mixing paste for meat pies, do not have the cream too 
rich; half milk is better. 

Light Cream Paste. 4£ 

1 cup sweet cream — part new milk will do. 
1^ cups sifted Grahamjlour. 

1| " " white 

§ teaspoonful soda, finely pulverized. 

1| teaspoonfuls cream-tartar. 

Stir the Graham and white flour together, add the soda 
and cream of tartar, and sift at least twice. Keep the 
cream in the ice-chest till wanted; then mix lightly and 
quickly, forming. rather a firm dough; do not knead ; simply 
get the mass together. The colder the cream and flour, the 
crisper the dough will be ; and the latter, if mixed before it 
is wanted, should be set in the refrigerator. 

If baking-powder is used, take two heaping teaspoonfuls, 
and sift it twice through the flour before mixing. And if 
cream or new milk can not be had for wetting, take a lump 
of fresh butter, work the salt out in ice-water, and drain; 
then rub it well into the flour after sifting the soda and 
cream of tartar through it, and mix with ice-water, or the 
coldest you can get. 

Cream Batter Paste. 4£ 

2 cups sweet cream. 

1\ " sifted Graham flour. 

1^ " " white 

-f teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

\\ teaspoonfuls cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 

Do not mix this paste till you are ready to use it; then 
make a batter of the above ingredients, adding the dissolved 



508 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HI. 

soda last, and beating very thoroughly. Spread it smoothly 
over the pie with a knife, and bake in a pretty hot oven, 
serving as soon as done. Batter crust will fall, if it stands 
long. This amount of batter will cover a pie eight inches 
wide, and ten long. 

Cream and Potato Paste. 

1 cup sweet cream — or new milk. 

1 " dry mealy potato, finely mashed. 

1 " sifted Graham flour. 

1 " " white 

| teaspoonful soda, dissolved in boiling water. 

1J teaspoonful s cream-tartar, sifted through the flour. 
Wet the potato with the milk or cream, mashing out all 
the lumps; stir in the Graham and white flour, add the 
cream of tartar, and beat well; then put in the soda, and 
beat hard. If baking-powder is used, take two heaping or 
three level teaspoonfuls, and stir it in the last thing. The 
batter made with the above ingredients, is enough to cover 
a pie eight inches wide and twelve long; or nearly ten 
inches square. Spread it smoothly with a knife, and bake 
in a brisk oven. 

Another. — Work into the above paste another cup of 
sifted Graham flour, making a dough that will roll out; it 
should be rather soft. Get it together without kneading, 
roll rather thin — not more than a quarter of an inch thick 
— and bake in a pretty hot oven. 

Beef and Potato Pie.^ 
Select two or three pounds of good tender beef; a rib 
piece or sirloin is excellent. If you buy ribs, let the butcher 
chop them into short lengths; then with a knife you can 
cut between and separate them, before boiling; this leaves 
the meat in small pieces. Having trimmed off any super- 
fluous fat, put the meat into a pot, cover with boiling water, 



PART in.] MEAT PIES, ETC. 509 

and remove the scum as it rises. You may slice in an 
onion, if you like its flavor. Boil gently, keeping the pot 
closely covered, and when nearly tender lift from the fire, 
and take the meat out. Peel a few potatoes, say five or 
six, and either quarter them or cut into rather thick pieces; 
do not slice, as it makes them less mealy. Boil these in 
very little water till they are half done; then drain well, and 
keep covered in their own hot steam, till you are ready to 
use them. 

While these are cooking make a light cream paste, and 
line the sides of a bake-dish. Some cover the bottom also 
with paste, but it is better left bare — and the sides the same, 
if you want all the crust very light and tender. When the 
meat is half cold pull out the bones, cut the larger pieces 
in two if there is need, and put a layer of it in the pan; ar- 
range the pieces in a regular way, so that the pie will cut 
well. Add next, a light layer of the parboiled potatoes; 
then more meat, then more potatoes; two thin layers of each 
will be enough. A few tiny bits of paste pinched off, may 
likewise be added. Thicken the liquor in which the meat 
stewed, by stirring in a little white flour wet to a smooth 
paste with milk or water, and heating all to a boil. Pour 
this gravy into the pie, which should be about two-thirds 
covered with it ; if there is not enough, add boiling water. 
Then put on the top crust rolled to the thickness of half an 
inch, secure the edges, and prick well with a fork ; cut a 
good cross-slit in the center, and set the pie in the oven. 
Bake from thirty to forty minutes, or till the crust is done; 
cover, if it browns too fast. When taken out, cool ten min- 
utes, and serve in the bake-dish ; this may be a granitized 
iron pan, two and a half inches deep. 

Instead of all beef, you may use part mutton or lamb ; 
or chicken or squirrel, if preferred. 



510 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Mutton or Lamb Pie. 4^ 

Good mutton or lamb makes an excellent pie. If you 
have a piece with ribs, cut the latter in short lengths, say 
an inch and a half, and then separate them by cutting be- 
tween. If there is much fat remove a portion of it, then 
cover with boiling water, and slice in an onion, if you like; 
stew slowly, till the meat is nearly tender. Peel half a 
dozen small potatoes, quarter them, or cut in pretty thick 
pieces, and boil eight minutes in very little water. While 
they are cooking mix a light cream paste, as per recipe 
already given. 

When the meat has boiled enough take it out, remove 
any large bones, but leave in the ribs; and if some portions 
are in big pieces, cut them into inch bits, or a little larger. 
Cover the bottom of a granitized iron pan or other bake- 
dish with half of it, and then put in half the potatoes, scat- 
tering them well over the meat; add the rest of the mutton 
or lamb, and the remainder of the potatoes; put in also a 
few small bits of paste, if you like it. Stir into the liquor 
left in the pot, a little white flour wet with milk or water, 
and heat to a boil; then pour it over the pie. Should there 
not be enough of the gravy to more than half cover it, add 
a little boiling water. Lay on the crust, rolled about half 
an inch thick, cut a cross-slit in the middle, and bake in an 
even oven thirty to forty minutes. Serve in the dish. 

Mutton or lamb mixed with chicken, squirrel, rabbit, or 
wild fowl, makes a very good pie; these you may stew in a 
separate pot, if they take a longer or shorter time to cook 
than the other meat. 

Meat Pie with Potato Crust. 
Make like either of the two last, and cover with a crust 
made as directed in the second paragraph, under the head 
of " Cream and Potato Paste." This paste is good, but not 
equal to light cream paste. 



PART HLj meat pies, etc. 511 

Cold Meat Pie. 

Take cold beef, mutton or lamb, or some of each, left 
from a previous roast or stew; strip the meat off the bones, 
rejecting any hard, gristly, or imperfect pieces, and also 
the superfluous fat. Where the fat and lean are well 
mixed cut them together, in slices about a quarter of an 
inch thick. The other portions you may cut into inch pr 
half -inch lengths, making a sort of coarse hash; the pieces 
of solid fat should, if used, be minced very fine, and only as 
much of the best taken as is needed; then add some cold 
potato, not sliced, but cut in small bits. Having stripped 
the bones crack them, and put them into a stew-pan with 
the other poorer parts, not including the fat; if there is a 
remnant of cold steak left over, chop it fine, and add with 
any of its gravy to the contents of the pan. If the flavor of 
onion is liked, slice it in with the rest; then pour in cold 
water to nearly cover, and heat slowly to a boil. Skim if 
there is need, simmer an hour, and strain out the liquor, 
adding to it any cold gravy left from a previous roast or 
stew; thicken with a little browned flour wet with milk or 
water, stir well, heat to a boil, and set off to cool. 

In the mean time mix a light cream paste, or a potato paste 
that you can roll out; the recipes for these have already 
been given. Then fill a bake-pan, one that is wide and 
shallow, with the meat and potato; the dish should not be 
more than two inches deep; pour over the made gravy, of 
which there should be enough to cover half or two-thirds 
of the pie, roll a crust half an inch thick, lay it on, and 
pinch down closely at the edge. Prick well with a fork, 
cut a cross-slit in the middle, and bake in a good oven 
thirty minutes, or till the crust is done. 

Another way, requiring less work, is to cut the meat in 
larger pieces, say two inches long, and the width of your 
finger; then mix with the potato, and proceed as before. A 



512 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET IIL 

pie made with the cold remnants of a roast, is not of course 
equal to one with fresh meat; but then, it is not expected 
to be. 

Meat Pie with Batter Crust. 

Make like the preceding, except to cut the meat finer, and 
have it not so moist. Add a little less water to the bones, 
when you make the gravy; or if there is some cold gravy 
left over, you may dilute this with warm or hot water, and 
use it for the pie ; no thickening will be needed. Cut the 
meat across the grain or fiber, in slices not more than half 
an inch thick; you may break or cut these if they are large, 
but do not chop them. Mix in bits of cold potato, about 
half as much as there is meat; and if onion is liked, you 
may slice and parboil one or two, and put them in. Some 
add small bits of butter, rolled in flour; but if you have 
part fat meat, there is no need. 

When all is ready put the meat and potato into a shallow 
pan, making the pie an inch, or an inch and a half thick, 
before the crust is laid on. Pour in the gravy, and then 
cover with a cream batter paste, or a cream and potato 
paste (batter), made as per recipe already given; spread it 
evenly with a knife, and bake in a quick oven forty to fifty 
minutes, or till done. Serve immediately, as the crust will 
become heavy if it stands long. 

If preferred, you can leave out the cold potato, slice the 
meat thin, and hash it very fine; then fill the pan to the 
depth of an inch, and moisten as before. Cover with either 
of the batter pastes, and bake. 

Beef or Mutton Scallop. 
Take what is left of a cold roast or stew of beef or 
mutton — cold lamb is better — reject any hard or gristly por- 
tions, and if there is too much fat leave out the poorest of 
it. Cut the meat across the grain in thin slices, and chop it 
fine; if there are any lumps of fat, mince them very fine 



PAKT III.j MEAT PIES, ETC. 513 

before adding to the rest. When the meat is all off crack 
the bones, and put them into a stew-pan with the other in- 
ferior bits, for the gravy; if you like a little onion or celery, 
slice it in. Then pour in a pint of water, and simmer 
slowly, an hour; lift from the fire, strain out the liquor, and 
add to it any dripping or gravy left over. 

This done, prepare some stale bread-crumbs, grating them 
rather fine; you may mix in with them a sprinkle of dry 
sage ; cover the bottom of a bake-dish with a layer of these, 
put in the same quantity of chopped meat, and moisten 
well with the gravy from the stew-pan, now nearly cold. 
The dish should be wide enough to hold about half the 
hash, the first layer. Follow with another of crumbs, and 
then the rest of the meat; if liked, mix a few cold potatoes 
finely chopped, with the latter. Moisten again, and finish 
with a good layer of very fine crumbs; pour over these the 
rest of the gravy, moistening them pretty thoroughly — or 
if this gives out, you may take a little milk; some beat an 
egg into the latter. Cover the dish with another the same 
size, and set it in the oven thirty minutes, or till the scallop 
is steaming hot; then uncover, brown quickly, take out and 
send to the table in the bake-dish. 

Meat Scallop with Eggs. 

Make, cover and bake, the same as the last; five minutes 
before you want to serve the scallop, draw it from the oven, 
uncover, and break as many fresh eggs over the top as it 
will hold. Slide back the dish, and shut the door two or 
three minutes, watching closely that the eggs do not cook 
too much. As soon as the whites are well set, remove from 
the oven and serve. 

Mutton and Potato Scallop. 

Mince the meat, cold mutton or lamb, and make like 
either of the two last, except that cold chopped potato is 



514 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

taken instead of bread-crumbs; and in filling the dish begin 
with meat, and end with potato. Cover closely, and bake 
from thirty to forty minutes, according to the size of the 
scallop; brown at the last. 

Mutton and Tomato Scallop. 4£ 

If you have cold mutton or lamb left over, mince it fine, 
and moisten with cold gravy if there is any. If you have 
none crack the bones, add a little cold water, and simmer 
nearly an hour; then strain the liquor and moisten the hash 
with it, making it pretty wet. Or if the meat has no bones 
and scarcely any fat, put into the mince a few bits of 
fresh butter rolled in flour, and moisten with a cup of warm 
water. Prepare in the mean time some fine bread-crumbs 
from a stale Graham loaf, having as much crumbs as there 
is hash; cover the bottom of an earthen or granitized iron 
pan with these, put in a layer of the meat, and follow with 
one of raw chopped tomatoes. Repeat the layers, filling the 
dish; then cover, set in a moderate oven, and bake from 
forty to fifty minutes; uncover five minutes at the end, if 
the top is not already browned. 

Another way is to cut the meat into very thin slices, and 
the tomatoes the same; cover the bottom of a bake-pan 
with bread-crumbs, and fill it with alternate layers of meat 
and tomatoes, ending with the latter; moisten the layers as 
you lay them in. Then bake as before. Beef can be sub- 
stituted for mutton or lamb, and canned tomatoes for raw. 

Mutton and Potato Pie. 

Slice cold mutton or lamb, making the pieces as thin as 
possible, and chop it very fine; add a parboiled onion or a 
stalk of celery, sliced and chopped; then moisten with a 
cup of milk or cream, or a little meat gravy diluted with 
water. Or if there are bones, you may crush them, add a 
pint of cold water, and simmer nearly an hour; then strain, 






PART III.] MEAT PIES, ETC. 515 

and moisten the meat with the liquor; do not make it too 
wet. Peel and boil five or six potatoes, drain, add a little 
milk, and mash till there are no lumps; then stir in more 
milk, forming a batter that will just drop from the spoon. 
Put the hash into a bake-pan, spread it in an even layer, 
and about an inch in depth; then pour on the potato batter, 
smooth it down with a knife, and bake from thirty to forty 
minutes in a moderate oven. Send to the table as soon as 
done. Beef may be used instead of mutton. 

Lancashire Pie. — ( Good. ) 4|= 

Take cold beef well streaked with fat, and slice very thin; 
then chop it as fine as possible, throwing out all the hard, 
gristly, or imperfect pieces; some mix in with the meat a 
little onion, finely chopped and parboiled. Crush the bones, 
if there are any, and put them into a sauce-pan with the 
rejected bits; add a pint of cold water and simmer half an 
hour, keeping the pan closely covered ; then strain the 
Liquor, and add to it any cold gravy left over. Wet the 
hash with this, making it moist rather than juicy; do not 
forget this last item. In the absence of bones, use a rem- 
nant of cold steak for the gravy; chop it fine, cover with 
cold water, simmer half an hour, and strain; then add the 
cold gravy as before. Or if there is no steak, you may 
simply dilute the gravy you have with a little warm water, 
and take this to moisten the pie. 

When the hash is prepared, peel some potatoes and drop 
into boiling water, scarcely more than will cook them; there 
should be fully as much potato as meat. Boil steadily, and 
the very instant a fork will go through the largest, drain off 
all the water, return the pot to the fire, add a trifle of good 
milk (cream is better), and mash till there are no lumps. 
Do all this very quickly, for the potato must be steaming 
hot, and rather dry. Now cover the bottom of a bake-pan 
with a laver of the hash (it should take half of it), put in 
54 



516 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

the same quantity of potato, then the rest of the hash, then 
the potato, of which there should be a good thick layer for 
the top. Smooth neatly with a knife, set in a brisk oven, 
and bake from thirty to forty minutes, browning at the end. 
When done send directly to the table, serving in the pan. 

The success of this dish depends, first, on the quality of 
the materials; second, on the rapidity with which they are 
put together; and lastly, on the manner of baking. Prop- 
erly made, the pie is excellent; slovenly done, it is quite 
inferior. 

Kettle Pie. 

This pie may be made of beef, mutton, lamb, chicken, 
wild fowl, or other game; or you may combine these in any 
proportions you like. Cut the meat in small pieces and stew 
till nearly tender, starting it in boiling water; cook slowly, 
with the pot closely covered. In the mean time mix a light 
cream paste, as per recipe already given; use part milk for 
the mixing, else the crust will be too rich; have ready some 
potatoes, peeled, washed, and cut through once or twice, if 
they are large. When sufficiently tender, take the meat out, 
leaving the liquor in the pot. 

Now take a clean kettle, put into it a good layer of the 
parboiled meat, then one of cut potato; and you may add 
a few small bits of the paste, pinched off with the fingers; 
repeat the layers until the meat is all in; the kettle may be 
half or two-thirds full. Then skim and add the liquor used 
in boiling; there should be enough of it to cover at least 
two-thirds of the pie; if there is not, pour in boiling water. 
Boll a crust nearly half an inch thick, and lay it on; then 
cut a good cross-slit in the center for the escape of steam, 
cover the kettle with a close-fitting lid, and place it over the 
fire. You must regulate the heat so that the pot will boil 
constantly, but not hard; and it is best not to uncover till 
the last. It will require from thirty to forty minutes to 
cook, according to the size (or rather the depth) of the pie, 



PART III. J MEAT PIES, ETC. 517 

and the thickness of the paste. When done lift off, remove 
the crust carefully, and lay it on a plate; then dish the re- 
mainder, replace the crust, and send to the table. Instead 
of rolling the dough in a single sheet, you may if preferred, 
lay on squares of paste, rolled out and cut to size. 

Steak Roll. 

Take three pounds of good sirloin steak, or the same of 
mutton chops cut from the loin; and after removing the 
bones and superfluous fat (there must be some fat, but not 
too much), cut the meat into very small bits, or hash it not 
too fine. Sprinkle a little flour over and through it, and 
moisten slightly with a few spoonfuls of cold gravy, or part 
of a cup of half-cooked soup, if you have it; the latter 
must be cooled and skimmed. Then mix a light cream 
paste, roll it in an oblong sheet about a quarter of an inch 
thick, and spread with the meat; you may add to this a 
small onion sliced very thin, and chopped fine; or a sprinkle 
of chopped parsley, if preferred. Roll all up snugly, pinch 
the ends well together, and wrap rather loosely in a clean 
white napkin; then lay in a round tin basin, which must be 
large enough to give room to swell; cover the latter with 
an inverted pie-pan, set it in a steamer, and steam two 
hours and a half. Do not lift the lid till done, and keep the 
water at a fast boil. Serve immediately; no dressing is 
needed. 

If a part of the roll is left over, warm it for dinner the 
next day, as follows : Dip the piece quickly into cold water, 
lay it in the steamer, within a closely covered basin, and 
steam till it is thoroughly heated through. Then serve with 
a plain dressing, made by pouring into a little cold gravy 
or meat juice part of a cup of cream, thickened with 
browned flour, and brought to a boil. 

A poorer piece of meat, as a round steak, is sometimes 
used ; and instead of making a roll, another way, very good, 



518 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

is to line a bowl with a little more than half the paste, let- 
ting the latter reach to within an inch of the top. Cut the 
meat into bits half an inch long, roll them in flour, and 
moisten with half a cup of weak gravy; this can be made 
from the bones, or from a bit of cold steak; you may slice 
in an onion, if you like. Then put the meat hash into the 
bowl, cover with the rest of the paste, and steam as before; 
the bowl must be covered closely with an inverted plate or 
pie-pan. If there is danger of the steam getting into it, 
lay a folded napkin over the top before putting on the 
plate. 

MEAT STEWS, Etc. 

The dishes that are here given in the way of stews, and also 
the hashes that follow, serve a two-fold purpose in the house- 
hold economy. In the first place, they add variety — at least 
in their preparation — to the routine course of which one is 
apt to tire, especially in winter and spring, when fruits and 
vegetables are scarce and high-priced. In the next place, 
these simple preparations, many of which are manufactured 
from ready-made dishes, are the means of saving the frag- 
ments that are left over, and that might otherwise be 
wasted. When well prepared, they are often more appe- 
tizing than their predecessors; and they ought to be equally 
good, clean and wholesome. There is no denying, however, 
that they furnish opportunity for the display of rare judg- 
ment, skill and good taste, in the person of the cook; and 
this wanting, everything is wanting. 

As these dishes are usually made, the object seems to be 
to cover up defects, both in the quality of the articles em- 
ployed, and in their preparation, by an inordinate amount 
of seasoning; whereas, the correct way would be, to pre- 
serve and retain the simple virtues existing in each of them. 
For if goodness is wanting in the thing itself, no amount 
of " mixing up," by the endless adding of ingredients, can 



PART lit;] MEAT STEWS, ETC. 519 

disguise the fact; and the proper tiling to do with it, is to 
reject it. On the other hand, a thing really good does not 
need to have its individuality obliterated, in order to make 
its virtues known. Indeed, if these can not be recognized 
without too much ado, it is pretty good evidence, either 
that the article is worthless, or that there is some fault in 
the palate of the one wiio eats it. 

Directions for Making Stews. 

The following are some general directions that have the 
sanction of good authority, for making plain stews: 

1. Begin with the dripping — or butter, or suet, if you 
use it; stir into this the flour (it should be carefully browned 
in the oven beforehand), mixing it smooth, so as to leave 
no lumps; or you may wet it to a paste with a little tepid 
water, before adding it. Heat slowly, and stir almost con- 
stantly; when it is well incorporated add a cup or more of 
warm water, and let this also incorporate, by heating very 
gently. 

2. Then put in the meat, and let it thoroughly heat 
through; if a steak, have it a thick one, all in one piece; 
you may if you like, brown it (not too much) in a hot skillet, 
before putting it into the pot; then simmer slowly. 

3. Next in order add the vegetables, as carrots, turnips, 
cabbage, etc. ; cook these till they are tender, but no longer. 
If parsley, thyme, or other sweet herb is used, add it as a 
rule a short time before finishing, as much cooking destroys 
its flavor. 

4. Keep the pot or stew-pan closely covered; and where 
it is convenient, shake instead of stirring. 

5. In mutton stews, brown the meat at the start, if you 
want the dish particularly savory. 

6. Make vegetable stews (without meat) as follows : Add 
a little warm water to the gravy after it is thickened, and 



520 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

the flour well incorporated by heating; then put in the 
vegetables, and cook till tender. 

7. If an onion (or carrot or turnip) is added for its flavor, 
to either meat or vegetable stews, slice it into the hot drip- 
ping, and heat till it changes color; then thicken with the 
broAvned flour, add a little warm water, heat gently, stirring 
well, and put in the meat or vegetables. 

8. In adding vegetables for the purpose of flavoring, as 
onions, celery, parsley, summer savory, thyme, or other sweet 
herbs, consult the palates of those who eat, before using 
them; some persons have a special dislike for one or 
more of these substances. Another good rule, is to use 
them in moderation; a taste of a thing is better than 
a surfeit; and the mere suggestion of a flavor, even the 
most delicate, is usually preferred to one that is more pro- 
nounced. 

The above directions are of course general, and often- 
times it may be necessary to depart somewhat from them; 
in a great many meat stews, the thickening of flour is either 
deferred to the end, as a sort of finishing, or it is omitted 
altogether. The rules applicable to all stews are, never to 
start raw meats in cold water; never to put cold cooked 
meats into boiling water to warm them over; never to fill 
up with any but boiling water; to stew slowly; to keep the 
pot well covered. Bones left from a previous roast, if per- 
fectly sweet, may be laid on top of the stew, and removed 
after an hour's time. 

Browned Flour, Gravies, Etc. 

What is known to cooks as " browned " flour, is prepared 
in this way: Spread white flour on a clean tin plate or 
granitized iron pan, and place in a hot oven; when it be- 
gins to tinge in color, stir constantly till it becomes an even 
brown; it must not scorch in the least. Then remove from 
the oven, and when cold put it into glass jars or bottles, 



PART IH.J MEAT STEWS, ETC. 521 

and close from the air. Shake before using, to prevent 
lumping. 

Good gravy is made by stirring into meat liquor enough 
browned flour to thicken moderately, and then bringing it 
to a boil ; there must be no lumps. If a cream gravy is 
wanted, stir the flour into half a cup (more or less) of 
cream, then add it to the meat liquor, and boil up a mo- 
ment. Or you may make a gravy from bones (as heretofore 
described), or from lean meat, raw or cooked; or, take the 
drippings (fresh, or a day old) of a roast, remove the grease, 
and strain the gravy in the bottom if there is any sediment; 
if too strong, dilute with warm water before using it. If 
you make from cooked meat, or bones left from a roast or 
stew, add cold water, simmer slowly till the juices are all 
given out, then cool the liquor, strain and thicken. If from 
raw meat (the trimmings of a steak will do), pound it, cut 
into small bits, and heat in a stew r -pan over a very moderate 
fire. Cover closely, and stir often to keep the meat from 
sticking; it must not scorch. In fifteen or twenty minutes, 
or when it is fairly browned, add boiling water (a pint of 
the latter to a pound of meat), and let it simmer slowly two 
or three hours. When done, cool, settle, and strain. 

Breakfast Stew. 

A stew — as good for dinner as breakfast — that can be 
prepared on short notice, after you " get home from meet- 
ing," or from down town shopping, is made as follows: 
Buy your meat the day before ; two or three pounds of beef 
or mutton, either good sirloin (removing the superfluous 
fat), or the poorer parts, as you can afford ; cut it in small 
bits, about an inch in length. Then put a little dripping 
into a pot, slice in an onion and carrot, and a turnip if you 
have it, and heat till the vegetables change color. Now put 
in the meat, add a pint of boiling water, cover closely, and 
stew very slowly two hours, or till the meat is tender. 



522 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Then lift from the fire, pour all into an earthen or granite 
ized iron basin, and set in a cool place. 

Next morning, or whenever you want it, add to the meat, 
if you like, a little chopped parsley, or other sweet herb, 
put the whole into a pot or stew-pan, and simmer covered, 
half an hour; no water should be added. Then stir in a 
spoonful of browned flour wet with tepid water, let it boil 
up once, and dish into the tureen. Serve with baked or 
mashed potato, and warm corn bread. 

If you have cold biscuits, split them open, and half toast 
in the oven — or you may brown some slices of stale loaf 
bread — put these into a dish, and pour the stew over; if the 
latter is too thick stir in half a cup of cream, and heat just 
to boiling before you set it off. 

Mutton Stew. 

Take three or four pounds of mutton or lamb, trim off 
most of the fat, and cut into inch or two-inch bits; a rib 
piece is good, the bones being chopped in short lengths; or 
the neck or breast will do. Start the meat in boiling water, 
enough -to nearly cover, remove the scum as it rises, and 
stew very slowly, keeping the lid on. Add a sliced onion, 
and cook an hour and a half, or till about tender; if you 
like parsley, thyme, or other sweet herb, put it in finely 
chopped ; and if any filling up has to be done, add a little 
boiling water. Then drop in some small bits of light cream 
paste, cover closely, and cook fifteen minutes; take out the 
meat and dumplings, put them into a hot tureen, fit on its 
lid, and set in a warm place. Thicken the gravy in the pot 
with a spoonful or two of browned flour, wet with half a 
cup of cold milk or cream; boil up a moment, pour it over 
the dumplings and meat, and send the dish to the table. 

Another way is to leave out the dumplings and flour, add 
a pint of green corn cut from the cob, and cook twenty 
minutes. 



PART III. J MEAT STEWS, ETC. 523 

Still another method, if you have a little cold dripping, is 
to heat the latter till hot, slice in the onion, and a carrot if 
liked ; put in the meat, heat till it is moderately browned, 
stirring frequently, and covering between times ; it must 
not scorch. Then add the boiling water, enough to cook it, 
and when sufficiently tender put in the corn, or a few peeled 
potatoes, and stew till they are done; if the corn is not ad- 
ded, thicken with browned flour at the last. 

Mutton Stew with Carrots. 

Put into a stew-pan a little dripping, or you may take a 
bit of fresh suet; w T hen hot, slice in an onion or two, and a 
few carrots; these must be scraped, and if large, quartered. 
AYhen the vegetables have changed color a little, take them 
out, and lay in the mutton, which should be rather lean; a 
brisket or other plain piece wdll do. Let this brown slightly, 
turning it on all sides ; then put back the vegetables, add 
boning water to half or two-thirds cover, and stew moder- 
ately till tender; do not boil with the lid off. It will require 
an hour and a half, or longer if the piece of meat is large ; 
there should be very little liquor when done. 

Irish Stew. 

Take three pounds of rather lean beef, or a scrag of mut- 
ton, cut it in small pieces, and add boiling water to about 
two-thirds cover ; you may lay the bones on top. Kemove 
any scum that rises, and then slice in one or two onions ; 
keep the pot covered, and stew or simmer one hour, or till 
the meat is almost tender. Then take out the bones, drain 
the liquor into a bowl, and skim off the grease. Have ready 
some potatoes peeled and sliced, about the same quantity 
there is of meat. Put into a separate kettle or sauce-pan a 
layer of the beef or mutton, and follow with one of sliced 
potatoes ; repeat the layers until all are in, sprinkling each 
with a little thyme or parsley, if it is liked. Pour in the 



524 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

skimmed gravy, cover closely, and stew half an hour ; if 
there is not enough of the gravy add a very little boiling 
water, or a spoonful or two of cold gravy diluted with 
water. After the pot begins to bubble, you may drop in a 
few bits of light paste ; it will cook in twenty minutes. 
When done, lift all into the tureen. 

Scotch Stew. 

Put three pounds of mutton cutlets into a pot, and add a 
pint of boiling water; skim when ready, and slice in two or 
three onions. Stew slowly one hour, or until the meat is 
nearly tender; then add six or eight potatoes, peeled, and 
cut through the middle. If more water is needed pour in 
a little, boiling hot, lay on the lid, and stew till the potatoes 
are done; it will take from twenty to thirty minutes. Dish 
into a hot tureen, cover, and send to the table; the stew 
should be tolerably moist at the end. 

Beef may be used instead of mutton; lamb is better 
than either. 

Beef and Tomato Stew. 

Take three or four pounds of good beef, streaked with 
fat; a rib piece is excellent. Put it into a pot, and heat till 
well seared and slightly browned; do not let it scorch; then 
add a pint of boiling water, cover, and stew slowly till done ; 
it may take an hour and a half. If a little ruling up is 
needed, add the water boiling hot. After putting on the 
meat peel five or six ripe tomatoes, slice very thin, and start 
them to stewing in a porcelain kettle; cook rather slowly, 
stirring quite often; it will require perhaps an hour, as they 
must stew till perfectly smooth. Then thicken the sauce 
with a little browned flour, wet to a smooth paste in cold 
water; stir this in and cook ten minutes; you will have to 
use the spoon frequently till the sauce is finished. When 
the meat is done let the water all evaporate, and brown the 
surface moderately, the same as a pot roast; then lift it to a 



PART III. J MEAT STEWS, ETC. 525 

hot platter, drain the gravy into a bowl, and skim off most 
of the grease. Turn the tomato and gravy together, heat 
and stir till the two are well incorporated, and pour the 
sauce over the meat. 

Mutton may be served in the same way ; and so may 
beef's tongue. The sauce may be made of canned toma- 
toes rubbed through a colander, and cooked a shorter time. 

Mutton and Tomato Stew. 

Put into a stew-pan two or three pounds of mutton or 
lamb cutlets; slice in an onion, set the pan over the fire, 
and let the meat sear and slightly brown on one side; then 
turn and brown the other. Have ready two or three raw 
tomatoes, not too large; peel, slice and chop them, put them 
in a porcelain kettle (not a common iron pot, as tomatoes 
corrode it), and add the meat, with whatever juices may 
have escaped in the searing process. Set the kettle where 
it will simmer slowly one hour, or till the meat is almost 
tender; then pour in a few spoonfuls of boiling water, or 
(if you use canned tomatoes) half a cup of hot tomato 
juice. Turn the meat once or twice, and cook from twenty 
to thirty minutes longer ; then lay it on a platter, thicken 
the gravy with a little browned flour, or some bits of 
butter rolled in flour, boil up a moment, and pour it over. 
If preferred, cut the meat in small pieces before stewing, 
and when done lay it on dry toast, or cold biscuits split 
open, and partly toasted in a hot oven; then thicken the 
gravy, and pour it over them. 

Beef -steak may be stewed in the same way; a round or 
flank steak will do, though it requires longer to cook. 

Okra Stew. 

Put into the kettle a piece of beef or mutton, washed, 
and rubbed over with a trifle of flour. Add two quarts of 
sliced tomatoes, and half as many young okras, cut fine; 



526 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART HI. 

then slice in two or three onions; no water is needed. Cook 
in a porcelain kettle keeping it closely covered, and stew as 
slowly as possible, or rather simmer till the meat is done; it 
will require an hour and a half or two hours. If the okras 
are small and tender, you need not slice them; simply clip 
off the tip ends, wash well and drop into the pot. 

Boiled Dinner. 

3 quarts boiling water. 

1 small head winter cabbage. 
8 potatoes, medium size. 

4 beets, 

4 turnips, " " 

3 parsnips, " " 

2 carrots, " " 

3 lbs. beef or mutton — the brisket is good. 
Time — two hours. 

Twist the tops from the beets, and wash thoroughly with 
a cloth, being careful not to break the skin or rootlets; if 
these are broken, the juices will escape in cooking. Cover 
the meat with two quarts of the boiling water, and heat till 
the scum rises; then remove the latter, add the beets, and 
the carrots scraped and quartered, and simmer slowly. 
Prepare the other vegetables, peeling the potatoes and tur- 
nips, and cutting all (except the potatoes) into quarters. 
When the meat has cooked an hour and ten minutes, lift it 
to a platter along with the beets and carrots; put an old 
plate or saucer, inverted, in the bottom of the pot, and lay 
back the meat and vegetables. Add the other quart of 
boiling water, drop in the turnips, cabbage and parsnips, 
and after fifteen minutes the potatoes. Boil rather briskly 
half an hour, or until the vegetables are done; then take 
them up, put them in separate dishes, and lay the meat on 
a plate by itself; or you may place it in the center of a 
large platter, and arrange the vegetables around it. 



PART III.] MEAT STEWS, ETC. 527 

Instead of the brisket or other piece, a sheep's head and 
feet are sometimes used. 

Cold Meat Stew. 

Mince cold beef or mutton, laying aside the gristle, or 
other undesirable bits. Drop these (the bits) and the bones 
(cracked) into a pot, add a little cold water, and slice in an 
onion if you like its flavor. Cover closely, and stew or 
rather simmer, at least thirty minutes. Then strain the 
liquor, return it to the pot, add the minced meat, and any 
gravy left over; there should be enough to make the stew 
pretty moist; too wet for an ordinary hash. Cover, and 
heat almost to bubbling; if you have a few cold potatoes, 
slice them in. Then simmer ten to fifteen minutes, keeping 
the lid on, and stirring once or twice; add a spoonful of 
chopped parsley if liked, and lift from the fire. 

In these cold meat stews, success depends upon, first, 
putting only good materials into . them ; second, adding 
enough of the essence or juices of meat to prevent their 
tasting "flat"; and then — not cooking them too much. 
Simply heat till the stew is smoking hot all through, and 
the different flavors well blended together. In preparing 
the above dish, you can if preferred, slice the meat thin 
instead of mincing it. Or if you have any tough bits of 
uncooked steak, it may be stewed till perfectly tender in a 
little water, cooking very slowly with the pot closely covered; 
let it get quite cold, then hash fine, and add half as much 
cold potato, also hashed ; take for the gravy the liquor left . 
from stewing. 

Breakfast Stew with Toast. 

Take the remains of a roast or stew, slice it very thin — 
always across the grain — and chop fine; add a spoonful or 
two of cold gravy if you have it, diluting with water; or 
you may make a gravy of the bones, as in the last recipe- 



528 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

Put the hashed meat, moistened, into a stew-pan or skillet, 
and add a parboiled onion (sliced) if you like it, or a little 
of any of the sweet herbs, chopped fine; heat rather slowly 
fifteen to twenty minutes, or till the mass is thoroughly hot, 
stirring often. Then pour in half a cup of cream or new 
milk thickened with browned flour, stir all together, cover 
closely, and when the stew begins to boil remove it from 
the fire. Have ready a few slices of dry toast, or split open 
some cold biscuits and half brown them in the oven ; lay 
these on a plate, pour the stew over, and send to the table. 
Cold beef-steak may be cooked in a little water till very 
tender, and when cold, chopped fine; return it to the pot, 
along with its liquor, and add any cold gravy left over, or a 
spoonful or two of meat juice taken from the bottom of 
fresh dripping, if you have it. Heat till hot, and then stir 
in part of a cup of cream or milk, thickened with browned 
flour; let all come just to a boil, and pour the stew over dry 
toast, or stale biscuits split open and heated through in the 
oven. 

Cold Meat and Tomato Stew. 

Cut the cold meat, beef or mutton, into inch bits; then 
crack the bones, add a pint or more of cold water, stew 
gently three-quarters of an hour, and strain the liquor, of 
which there should be a cupful. Pour it into a porcelain 
or granitized iron kettle, and add tomatoes, peeled, sliced 
and chopped — or you may use canned ones — half as much 
as there is of the prepared meat; then put in the latter, 
adding if liked, an onion or carrot thinly sliced; lay on the 
lid, and simmer gently one hour, stirring now and then. If 
the stew is still rather thin, thicken it a trifle with browned 
flour wet in cold water, heat up a moment, and remove from 
the fire. Fragments of uncooked meat, as tough steak, may 
be cut into small pieces, and stewed in the same way, only 
twice as long. 

Another way is to slice the meat very thin, cutting across 



PART III. ] MEAT STEWS, ETC. 529 

the grain, and chopping fine; then peel, slice and chop some 
tomatoes, not too ripe; you will need about half as much 
tomato as meat. Put these into a porcelain kettle, and 
while thev are heating prepare an equal quantity of bread- 
crumbs; when the tomatoes are hot add the chopped meat, 
and a spoonful or two of cold gravy. Mix these together, 
and put in the crumbs; then cook, covered, ten to fifteen 
minutes, stirring frequently. This is an excellent dish; you 
can vary it by adding with the meat a few cold sliced pota- 
toes, and less crumbs; then heat as before, till all are 
smoking hot. 

Another. — Peel some tomatoes, and slice them very thin; 
slice the cold meat as thin as a shaving, and sprinkle flour 
lightly over it; have about half as much tomato as meat. 
Put these into a porcelain or granitized iron kettle, add a 
sliced onion or carrot, and a little meat juice saved from a 
pot roast; simmer slowly one hour, keeping the kettle well 
covered. Stir occasionally, and dish as soon as done. 

Economic Stew. 

Put into a pot a knuckle of young beef, add a quart of 
boiling water, and start to cooking; remove any scum that 
rises. Then slice an onion into a hot skillet with some chip- 
ping in it, cover and heat, stirring once or twice, till the 
onion changes color; add a little boiling water, slice in two 
or three carrots, lay on the lid, and cook ten minutes. Turn 
these into the pot, cover closely, and stew or simmer very 
slowly, three hours, or until the meat is ready to slip from 
the bone. In finishing, add a little chopped parsley or 
other sweet herb, if desired. Then dish, thicken the gravy 
with a trifle of browned flour, boil up a moment, and pour it 
over the joint. Or you may have ready some slices of toast, 
place the meat on it, and pour the gravy over. 



530 health in the household. [part iil 

Economic Stew. 

Cover a hock or shank of beef with boiling water, and 
place over the fire; do this soon after breakfast, allowing 
three or four hours to cook. Slice in an onion, carrot or 
turnip, or all three if desired, and stew very slowly until 
the meat is about tender; then add a stalk of celery if you 
have it, or a little chopped parsley, thyme or other sweet 
herb; also peel and put in half a dozen potatoes, cutting 
them through once or twice if they are large. As soon as a 
fork will go through them, lay in some bits of stale loaf 
bread, or dry toast; cover the pot five minutes, then dish 
all together. 

Chicken or Squirrel Stew. 

Take two young chickens or two squirrels, dressed and 
cut in joints; six or eight tomatoes, peeled and quartered; 
six ears of young corn, cut from the cob (use a sharp 
knife, shave thin, not cutting down too deep, and scrape out 
at the last); one pint of butter beans, or Limas; two small 
onions, sliced very thin; one gallon of water, not quite 
boiling. 

Put the chickens (or squirrels) into a kettle, add the 
water, and heat till you can remove the scum; then put in 
all the vegetables except the corn and tomatoes, and stew, 
or rather simmer, two hours; add the tomatoes, and cook 
slowly another hour; then the corn, and stew half an hour 
longer. If not thick enough, stir in one or two rolled 
crackers before dishing into the tureen. 

HASHES AND TOASTS. 

A dish of hash, usually so common-place, can easily be 
made one of the most savory of meat preparations; this too, 
without the aid of salt, pepper, butter or other condiment, 



PAKT III. J HASHES AND TOASTS. 531 

save the pieces of the meat itself. Unfortunately, these 
mixed dishes are too often anything but creditable to the 
cook; they are neither clean, palatable, nor wholesome; and 
they are not in the least attractive. There is no good rea- 
son, however, why they should not be both clean and palat- 
able, and as wholesome as other meat dishes — in which 
case there would be less need to disguise their defects by 
the addition of pungent condiments. In making hashes, 
note carefully the following: 

1. Put no meat into the hash that you would not willingly 
chew and swallow before it is minced; in other words, 
throw out all the hard, gristly, skinny bits; leave no big 
lumps of solid fat, and no stringy, unsightly pieces. Make 
the hash either of good lean meat, or meat that is streaked 
more or less with thin layers of well-made fat. 

2. Slice every part very thin; the lean meat always across 
the grain or fiber, and the fat pieces shave exceedingly thin, 
and chop fine. 

3. Chop all well together, making the hash as fine as 
mince-meat; leave no large bits or "chunks" to contend 
with. 

4. Have the stew-pan thoroughly clean, and your chop- 
ping-bowl the same. 

5. If you put in meat juice saved from a roast, see that it 
is sweet; take the fat from the top, and all the sediment 
from the bottom of it; or if the meat is very lean, you may 
save just a little of the fat — or add a lump of fresh butter. 

6. If cold potatoes are used, see that not a single one or 
piece of one goes in, that you would object to eating before 
it becomes part of the dish in hand. 

7. In adding raw potatoes slice and chop them, and cook 
five to seven minutes in very little water before turning them 
in with the meat. 

8. Should bread be put in, trim off any burnt or half raw 
portions, if such there be, in or around the loaf ; grate it 

35 



532 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

very fine, and add after the meat and potato are well heated 
through. 

9. If water is needed, put it in at the start, boiling hot ; 
and not so much of it as to make the hash sloppy. 

10. Add the different ingredients in the following order : 
First, put into the pot the gravy or meat juice, this latter 
diluted with water; slice in the onion (if used), and heat 
slowly ten minutes, to partly cook it; then add the chopped 
meat, and heat again; then the parboiled potatoes, stirring 
them well through the mass, with more heating ; lastly, the 
crumbs, and & final heating and stirring — the pot to be kept 
covered, as closely as possible. 

11. After all are in, cook the hash ten to fifteen minutes, 
or long enough to make the whole mass steaming hot, and 
to blend the different flavors well together ; stir frequently. 

12. Serve as soon as done, with mashed or baked po- 
tatoes. 

With these precautions, your dish of hash will not need 
an apology. 

Beef ok Mutton Hash.^ 

Take cold beef or mutton, roasted, stewed or boiled, and 
slice it very thin, cutting across the grain or fiber; throw 
out any hard, gristly bits, or other undesirable portion. If 
there is much fat take only the best of it, and no more than 
is needed; be sure you shave it as thin as possible. When 
all the meat is sliced, mix the fat and lean together, and 
chop fine; if you have a bowl of fresh dripping, the gravy 
in the bottom — which it is well to save for hashes — may be 
diluted with water, and used to moisten. If you have none, 
crack the bones after the meat is off, put them into a stew- 
pan, add the rejected pieces (all clean, of course), a sliced 
onion if liked, and a pint of cold water; stew slowly, half 
to three-quarters of an hour, then strain the liquor, and set 
it by for the hash. You may add to the meat stale bread- 
crumbs, or potatoes, or both, combining these in various 



PART in.] HASHES AND TOASTS. 533 

proportions. The following, however, is one of the best 
combinations that you can make ; though some like less 
cruinbs, and some none at all: 

Have one part hashed meat, one part stale bread-crumbs, 
and one of raw chopped potato. Put into a pot the liquor, 
strained from the bones; or (if you have it), the gravy left 
from a roast, first removing the grease from the top, and 
the sediment from the bottom; a third of a cup of it ought 
to be sufficient for a quart of the meat. Dilute the gravy 
in the pot with enough boiling water to make the meat 
pretty moist; but before putting in the latter, slice in an 
onion if you like its flavor, lay on the lid, and cook ten min- 
utes; then add the meat, cover closely, and heat again, stir- 
ring once or twice. In the mean time put the chopped po- 
tato into a separate vessel, add just a little boiling water, 
and cook five to seven minutes ; have ready the bread- 
crumbs grated fine, using good home-made Graham loaf, 
unsweetened. When the potatoes are done enough (they 
should be about half cooked), turn them in with the meat, 
and stir well together; let these get steaming hot before you 
add the bread. Then cover again and heat thoroughly, 
stirring several times; cook from ten to fifteen minutes, or 
till the several ingredients are well blended together ; then 
dish into a tureen, cover, and send to the table. The hash 
should be rather dry when done ; serve with baked or 
mashed potato. 

Hash with Cold Potatoes.^ 

In making hash you can use cold boiled potatoes, but 
they are not as good as raw ones, chopped and parboiled. 
If the cold ones have been boiled in their "jackets" remove 
the skins, trim off any imperfect spots or ends, and throw 
out the wet ones; if you do not do this you will spoil the 
hash. You can make it of meat and potato, leaving out the 
bread; but if you have a bit of stale loaf, put it in. When 



534 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART in. 

no bread is used, take as much potato as there is meat ; 
some like twice as much, provided there is plenty of cold 
gravy to moisten ; in the absence of this, you may have to 
use a bit of fresh butter. 

Cut the meat in thin slices, always across the grain,, and 
chop fine; put the gravy into a stew-pan, add a little boil- 
ing water, and slice in one or two onions, if liked ; cover 
closely, and cook ten minutes. Then add the meat, cover 
again, and let it get well heated through ; then the potato, 
stirring well together, and laying on the lid. Continue the 
cooking ten to fifteen minutes, or long enough to make all 
very hot, and to blend the flavors thoroughly; stir often. 

A good breakfast dish is made as follows : Make a fine 
hash of beef's tongue (some use corned beef), and cold po- 
tato, using the liquor in which the tongue was boiled, to 
moisten; then cook as before. You can have more potato 
than meat, if you like ; and a little onion sliced and par- 
boiled, may be added if desired. 

Baked Hash.^ 

Take cold beef, mutton or lamb, or some of each, slice it 
very thin across the grain, and chop fine ; moisten with a 
little cold gravy or meat juice, from sweet dripping; and if 
you like an onion, slice it as thin as possible, and parboil 
ten minutes before putting it in. Prepare some stale bread- 
crumbs from good home-made Graham loaf, if you have it; 
there should be about as much bread as meat. Stir all to- 
gether; and if the gravy added does not make the mixture 
wet enough — it should be rather moist — add a very little 
boiling water, and stir well. Put the hash into an iron 
bread-pan, smooth the top nicely, and bake in a hot oven 
fifteen or twenty minutes; it should be slightly browned or 
crusted, top and bottom. 



tart iii.] hashes and toasts. 535 

Hash Bolls. 

Prepare the meat as for an ordinary hash, chopping it 
very fine ; you can moisten with a spoonful of cold gravy or 
meat juice, if you have it; add an equal quantity of mashed 
potato (fresh is best), and the same of stale bread-crumbs 
finely grated, and soaked in milk or cream. Work all well 
together with the hand, make into rolls about three inches 
long and half the thickness, and brown in a hot oven fifteen 
to twenty minutes. Or you may spread the hash smoothly 
in a well-oiled bread-pan, and set it in the oven ; when 
browned in the bottom turn it into a flat dish, the crusted 
side uppermost, and send to the table. 

Cold fish may be picked up, mixed with fresh mashed po- 
tato and a few fine bread-crumbs (the latter soaked in milk), 
and baked in the same way. 

Minced Jjamb. 

Cut the cold meat from the bones, slice it very thin, and 
chop fine ; then crack the bones, put them into a stew-pan 
with other rejected bits, or a chop left over, and cover with 
cold water; slice in an onion if you like it. Simmer about 
an hour, then strain the liquor, and thicken it a trifle with 
browned flour moistened with milk or cream. Keturn it to 
the pan, add the meat, and a little cold chopped potato ; 
cover closely and heat till very hot, stirring once or twice ; 
the hash must not be too moist. Serve with dry toast, or 
eggs and toast. 

If there are no bones to make the gravy, add a little cold 
gravy or meat juice diluted with water, or half a cup of 
milk or cream, and thicken as before. Beef or mutton left 
over, may be similarly prepared. 

Minced Turkey. 
Take a sharp knife, slice the meat thin, and chop it fine. 
Then crack the bones, put them into a pot with the neck, 



536 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL- 

skin, and other inferior pieces, nearly cover with cold water, 
and simmer half an hour. Strain out the liquor (there may 
be a cupful), thicken it with browned flour wet with milk 
or cream, bring just to a boil, and set it off. When half 
cold, put in the minced turkey, and if there are a few bits 
of dressing, add them; if the mixture is not wet enough, 
stir in a little cream or milk; it should be pretty moist. 
Cover the pot, and heat slowly till it is ready to boil ; stir 
once. Then lift from the fire, and pour the stew over a 
plate of stale biscuits split open, and crisped in a hot oven. 

Beef and Tomato Hash. 

Prepare equal quantities of minced beef, raw chopped 
tomatoes, and fine bread-crumbs of stale Graham loaf; the 
meat should be sliced thin, and chopped fine. Fill an 
earthen or granitized iron pan two or three inches deep, 
with layers of these, in the following order : First tomatoes, 
then crumbs, then meat; two layers of each will nearly fill 
the dish; then add another of tomatoes. Before putting 
in the meat, moisten it with a little cold gravy if you have 
it; some like a spoonful of finely chopped onion mixed 
with the hash. If canned tomatoes are used drain off the 
syrup, and take part of this to moisten the crumbs. Cover, 
and bake in a moderate oven about an hour and a half — 
though a thinner hash will bake in less time. Serve with 
boiled or mashed potato. 

Another way, very good, is to prepare equal quantities of 
chopped tomato and stale bread-crumbs, and as much meat 
as there is of these put together ; the meat should be sliced 
very thin and chopped fine. Then heat the tomatoes thor- 
oughly, stir in the crumbs and meat, and add a spoonful or 
two of cold gravy ; cover closely, and cook ten to fifteen 
minutes. Stir several times, and dish as soon as done. 



part iii.] hashes and toasts. 537 

Hash and Macaroni. 

Break the macaroni into inch lengths, put it into a sauce- 
pan, and barely cover with boning water; stew twenty min- 
utes. In the mean time hash the meat, and peel and chop 
some tomatoes; there should be nearly as much tomato as 
meat, though less will do. When the macaroni is done 
drain it, saving the water in which it boiled; then fill an 
earthen dish with layers of tomato, meat and macaroni, add- 
ing them in the order named; moisten the meat with part 
of a cup of cold gravy, if you have it. Or if there are 
bones, start them in a little cold water, and simmer, covered, 
half an hour; then strain the liquor, and moisten with this. 
When all are in, pour over the whole the water saved from 
the macaroni (of which there may be half a cup), and if 
there is too much moisture, sprinkle over a light layer of 
very fine bread-crumbs, dry and stale, or some rolled crack- 
ers. Cover, and bake in a moderate oven, forty to fifty 
minutes. 

Hash with Onions. 

Cut the meat in short lengths; or you may slice it, not 
very thin, and chop moderately. Put into a stew-pan part 
of a cup of cold gravy, or the meat juice saved from a 
roast; and if the hashed meat is rather lean, add to the 
contents of the pan a little fresh butter, or dripping. Heat 
till hot, and slice in several onions; let these cook till they 
change color, and then add nearly a cup of boiling water, 
or enough to make the hash pretty moist. Now put in the 
meat, and stir all well together; you may add also, if you 
have them, a few bits of cold potato. Cover, and heat ten 
minutes, or till the hash is very hot, stirring several times; 
then turn into the tureen. This is a convenient dish for 
wash-days, as it needs little preparation. 



538 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III 

Hash Toast.— (Good.)# 

1 quart hashed meat. 

J cup cold gravy or meat juice. 

-J cup sweet cream. 

J " warm water. 

1 teaspoonful browned flour. 

Dish of sliced bread, toasted. 

Slice the meat very thin, chop it fine, and mix the browned 
flour through it. Dilute the cold gravy with the warm 
water, turn it into a stew-pan, and add the meat; cook 
slowly ten minutes, stirring once or twice. Then set the 
pot back where it will cool a little; after ten minutes stir in 
the cream, heat almost to boiling, and the toast being ready, 
pour the hash over it. 

Another way is to make the hash a little drier, using all 
water instead of part cream; when it is finished and poured 
over the toast, break an egg over each of the slices, and 
then heat in the oven till the whites are set. 

Milk Toast. 4f 

Good, home-made Graham loaf, two or three days old 
(always unsweetened), makes the best toast. Slice it evenly, 
and scarcely half an inch thick; if the crust is scorched in 
baking, trim off the burnt edges. Then toast each piece to 
a light even brown, on both sides; do not hurry the proc- 
ess too much, or you will simply burn the surface, leaving 
the middle portion soft. As you toast, place the slices on 
a tin platter, and set where they will keep warm. After 
finishing, scrape off any scorched edges with a knife, dip 
each slice quickly into boiling water, and lay it in a deep 
dish or tureen. When all are in, pour over them enough 
milk heated just to boiling, to almost cover the whole. In 
two or three minutes shuffle the slices, leaving the hard, 
crusty pieces in the bottom, and the better soaked on top; 



PART IU.] HASHES AND TOASTS. 539 

do this carefully, so as not to break them. Then cover the 
dish, and send to the table. If properly managed, the milk 
will nearly all be soaked up by the time the toast is served; 
its good rich flavor will be better preserved than where 
there is a great quantity of fluid, and the bread will not be 
too soft and sloppy. 

Another way is, not to dip the slices in boiling water, but 
to lay them dry into the dish, and set in a warm place; 
turn together equal quantities of milk and water, heat the 
mixture to the boiling point, and pour it over. There should 
be about as much as the bread will absorb. 

Eggs and Toast. 4£ 

Slice .the bread, good home-made Graham loaf, rather 
stale, and toast to a light brown on both sides; the slices 
should be evenly cut, and nearly half an inch thick. When 
toasted, set in the oven to keep warm. Then fill a skillet or 
frying-pan with clean hot water, and place over the fire; 
when it comes to a boil, break the eggs one at a time into 
a wet saucer, slip carefully in, and cook till the whites are 
set; then with a. spoon or perforated skimmer, take out each 
egg, and lay it on the toast. 

An excellent dish is hash toast (already given) made not 
very wet, and a poached egg laid on each slice. 

Asparagus Toast with Eggs. 

Wash and scrape the asparagus, letting it lie a few min- 
utes in cold water; then tie it in little bundles and boil till 
tender, in water enough to cover. In the mean time, pre- 
pare from stale, home-made Graham loaf a dish of toast, 
evenly browned, and set where it will keep warm. Wlien 
the asparagus is done, drain off and save the water in which 
it boiled, and moisten the toast with it; do not make too 
wet. Then clip off the tender ends of the stalks, and lay 



540 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET HI. 

them on the slices; break an egg over each, and place in a 
hot oven till the whites are firm. 



EGGS. 

Fresh eggs, particularly white ones, have a thin rough 
shell which an experienced eye will know at sight. As they 
get stale the shell thickens, and becomes smooth and shin- 
ing. To tell whether an egg is spoiled, hold it up between 
your eye and a lighted candle; if not good, it will look 
clouded; the outline of the yolk will not be distinct, and 
the white not clear — or the whole mass will be opaque. 

Boiled Eggs. 

It is difficult to time eggs, if more than two or three are 
boiled at once; when there are a dozen or more, they cool 
the water, so that you will have to count from the moment 
it begins again to bubble. Very much too depends upon 
the size of the eggs, and also the thickness of the shells; 
the clear white ones (fresh), are thinner than the buff- 
colored. 

Have a good kettle of boiling water over a hot fire, and drop 
the eggs in with a spoon to prevent breaking them. If they 
cool the water till it stops boiling, count from the time it be- 
gins again; and if wanted soft, cook two minutes and a half — 
or two minutes, if the eggs are small. But if they boil from 
the time they reach the water, allow two minutes and a half 
for the small, and three for the larger ones; this should 
coagulate the whites, and leave the yolks soft. If liked 
neither hard nor soft, but the yolks a little firm, allow three 
minutes to three and a half, according to the size of the 
eggs. If you wish them hard, cook ten to fifteen minutes, 
or even longer; some say half an hour; the longer the time, 
the drier and more mealy the yolks. 



PART in.] EGGS. 541 

Soft Boiled Eggs. 4^ 

Bring the water to a boil ; then set back (or off), where 
it will keep hot, but not bubble. Drop in the eggs, and let 
them remain from four to six minutes ; those with thin 
shells will cook first. By this method the whites do not 
harden, but coagulate to a jelly-like consistency. — A delicate 
dish is made as follows : mash hot potato very smooth, 
making it rather soft with milk; then break the jellied eggs 
over it, and serve immediately. 

Poached Eggs.^ 

If you have muddy, river water, either filter it, or boil 
and settle. Place over a hot fire a clean skillet or frying- 
£)an nearly full of water, and when it boils set it up a mo- 
ment. Break the eggs separately into a wet saucer, and 
slip them in; you must not crowd them. Then return the 
pan to the fire, and cook moderately three to four minutes. 
Or a better way, it may be, is to place where the water 
(which has just boiled) will keep hot, but not bubble; let 
the eggs remain in it five to seven minutes, or till the 
whites are cooked. Then lift them out one at a time, with 
a spoon or perforated skimmer, drain well, and lay in a hot 
dish, or on dry toast. 

Baked Eggs. 

Break into an oiled pie-pan as many eggs as it will con- 
veniently hold, and place in a hot oven till the whites are 
fully set, and the yolks as done as desired; then slip to a 
plate, and serve. Or you may break the eggs into small 
vegetable dishes, bake, and serve without lifting. 

Scrambled Eggs. 

Oil the skillet with a little clean dripping, and place it 
over the fire ; break the eggs into a saucer (one at a time, to 
avoid bad ones), and then turn them into a bowl, being 
careful not to break the yolks. When the skillet is pretty 



542 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIL 

hot but not scorching, pour in the eggs; and the moment 
they begin to whiten, turn them up from the bottom with 
the end of a knife. Continue this process, turning as fast 
as they cook, till the mass is sufficiently done; then lift to a 
hot dish, and serve immediately. 

Scrambled Eggs. 

Pour into a deep earthen pie-pan half a cup of thin 
cream, and let it come almost to a boil. Then break in the 
eggs, being careful not to disturb the yolks; when they 
begin to whiten, separate with a knife by cutting between 
them, and then scrape up from the bottom as they cook. Have 
the heat moderate, else the eggs will cook too fast, and take 
from the fire before they are quite done, still turning from 
the bottom as you lift the pan. They should be in large 
flakes of white and yellow, delicately blended, and yet sep- 
arate. 

Omelet. 

You can make an omelet of three eggs, or twice the num- 
ber; but the larger it is, the more difficult to make it. The 
better way, therefore, is to make two small ones, rather than 
a large one; the eggs (or at least the yolks) must not be 
beaten too much; and the omelet must be served as soon as 
done. The following is said to be an excellent recipe : 

Break three eggs into a bowl, and beat gently till you 
can dip up a spoonful; then stir in half a cup of milk or 
cream. Put into a frying-pan a little fat from sweet drip- 
ping, or a bit of fresh butter; heat till the oil commences to 
sputter or hiss, and then pour in the omelet. When it be- 
gins to bubble and rise in flakes, lift with a fork by dipping 
the latter in here and there, and raising the mass from be- 
low. Persevere in this lifting process, by which the cooked 
portions are brought to the surface, and the raw egg is let 
down to the bottom. In three to five minutes the whole 
will be sufficiently done, and the under surface firm enough 



paet in.] EGGS. 543 

to adhere together. Shake the pan a little, to loosen it, run 
a knife under one half of the omelet, and fold it over on 
itself; then slide it out on a hot platter, and serve. 

Omelet.^ 

Beat separately the yolks and whites of three eggs, the 
former just till they are smooth, and the latter to a stiff 
froth. Stir into the yolks half a cup of milk — new, if you 
have it; some add a sprinkle of chopped parsley; then stir 
in the beaten whites; oil a frying-pan, heat till it is hot, and 
pour in the omelet. As it cooks shake constantly, instead 
of stirring; and if it inclines to stick to the pan, loosen with 
a knife around the edges, or lift it up gently from the bot- 
tom. The moment the omelet is done enough, slip the 
knife under one side, turn adroitly, folding one half of it 
over the other, and slide to a hot plate. 

Another way, well recommended, is to beat separately the 
yolks and whites of four eggs, the whites to a stiff froth. 
Then take a cup of milk, and a good tablespoonful of flour; 
form a batter with the flour and part of the milk, stir in the 
remainder, add the beaten yolks, and mix all well together. 
Then stir in the whites, beating well, and bake on two small 
griddles, well oiled and hot. As soon as sufficiently cooked 
fold each omelet on itself, and (if necessary) set in the oven 
a moment at the last; if not quite done, they will fall. Some 
omit the flour; and the moment the omelet is done enough 
fold it twice, forming a sort of roll; in serving, cut across it. 

Aspaeagus Omelet. 

Beat the yolks and whites of four eggs together, add 
two-thirds of a cup of good milk, and half a cup of cold 
asparagus tops ; or you may use cold cauliflower, chopped 
fine. Stir all together, and turn the omelet into a pan, well 
oiled and hot ; shake, as it forms or thickens at the bottom, 
and loosen with a knife or cake-turner, if it adheres. Fold 



544 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

on itself when done, by turning one half over on the other; 
then invert the pan over a hot plate. 

PEACTICAL HINTS. 

DlNING-BoOM AND KlTCHEN. 

No room is fit to live in that has not a free circulation of 
dry air under it, and at some hour of the day a stream of 
sunshine into it. If possible, plan your house so as to let 
into the kitchen and dining-room the morning sun ; it will 
warm and cheer in winter, and in summer it will be 
less oppressive than the noonday heat, and less sultry 
than an afternoon sun. In the very warmest weather the 
shutters may be closed, or partly closed; or a tree near by 
with thick foliage, may cast its friendly shadow in mid- 
forenoon. 

Let the ceilings be high (eleven or twelve feet would not 
be too much), and let the windows be raised and lowered 
by means of pulleys. If this can not be done, then have 
them so adjusted that both windows — there should be two 
in each room — can not only be raised from the bottom, but 
lowered from the top. If there is a transom above the out- 
side door of the kitchen, have a spring fastened to it for 
opening. By means of these simple appliances, the hot air 
can be let out, and the cold air let in ; thus securing thor- 
ough ventilation, with none of the close bad smells that are 
so often found in the rear. A good big ventilator just 
above the stove or range, is also desirable; this carries off a 
stream of hot air, and cooler currents take its place. Many 
a poor woman — perhaps a wife and mother — has been sent 
to the insane asylum from living in a hot close atmosphere, 
in a small kitchen with only one window, and a very low 
ceiling. 

After what has just been said, it would scarcely be neces- 
sary to add, that basement kitchens are as a rule insuffer- 



PAKT III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 545 

able. The lack of sunshine, the poorer ventilation, and 
worst of all, the dampness that pervades all basements, were 
enough certainly to condemn them. Besides, a kitchen 
down stairs is exceedingly inconvenient, even with an ele- 
vator; the cook must either live in the basement (having 
everything brought to her), which is a sort of prison life 
or she must climb the stairs many times every day. 

The best floor for a kitchen and dining-room, is one of 
smooth hard wood, well oiled; this will show no grease spots 
and it is easily kept clean. A good thick rug, laid in front 
of the kitchen table for the cook to stand on in winter, will 
keep her feet warm; she can lift and shake it each morning, 
when she sweeps. The outside door should be weather- 
stripped at the bottom (and up the side if necessary), to 
keep out cold draughts of air. The dining-room should 
have its own fire-place or register, and not depend upon the 
kitchen for its heat ; for along with the warm air, the odors 
from that quarter will also find admittance. 

The character of the purse-holder, is not unfrequently 
shown in the furnishing of the dining-room and kitchen, 
particularly the latter. To do first-class cooking without 
suitable utensils and other accommodations, is next to im- 
possible; and if these are wanting it is evidence either of 
bad judgment, penuriousness, or downright poverty. It is 
a common saying, therefore, that in the furnishing of a 
house, one should begin in the rear. 

To be brief, then, the dining-room and kitchen should be 
light, airy, clean, and well furnished ; they should also be 
sufficiently roomy, both in lateral dimensions, and in height. 
In a sanitary point of view, as well as for cleanliness, the 
air in these apartments should be pure. It is a fact too lit- 
tle understood, that water and other liquids, and even semi- 
fluid substances, as stewed fruits, juicy vegetables, etc., have 
the power of absorbing foul gases from an impure atmos- 
phere, to such an extent as to render them half poisonous; 



546 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

from which it follows, that the disagreeable odors escaping 
from filthy dish-cloths, grease burning on the top of the 
stove, musty old carpets, pans of stale garbage, foul drain- 
pipes, etc., are not only breathed by the inmates of the house, 
but they are actually eaten ! 

Look to it, then, that the plumbing is in the best of order, 
and the sink kept scrupulously clean. Have no dogs lying 
round the stove, and not very many cats or kittens; these, as 
a general rule, do not improve the sanitary condition of 
things. In the kitchen, every inch of the floor (especially 
if it be carpeted), should be well kept, and well swept; and 
the woodwork and furniture in both dining-room and 
kitchen, ought to be as carefully dusted and cared for, as any 
in the house. These rooms should be thoroughly aired, 
every morning ; and through the day the kitchen should 
have as few occupants as possible, especially in the winter 
season, when the ventilation is less perfect. Moreover, the 
cook, whose presence is absolutely necessary, should be par- 
ticularly careful as to personal cleanliness, bathing, change 
of clothing, etc.; nothing indeed is more desirable, than 
that this individual should be scrupulously neat in all her 
habits. 

As respects the dining-room, the table linen should be 
changed as often as necessary ; and when soiled it should 
be washed by itself, and well ironed. There is as much in 
the neatness and order with which every thing comes to the 
table, as in the quality of the furnishing; and any defect in 
the former, is even less excusable than the latter. 

In hygienic households, the manner of setting the table 
differs somewhat from the ordinary methods. As there is 
neither tea nor coffee, there are no cups and saucers, and of 
course no serving of the beverages named. In their stead 
will be found at breakfast or supper, a dish of stewed or 
canned fruit, which is served from the_ head of the table, 
and at the beginning of the meal. The only liquid that is 






PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 547 

ever passed — and this can scarcely be called a beverage — is 
grape or other fruit juice, served in goblets, and sipped or 
eaten with bread, or plain cake. A dish of raw fruit, as ap- 
ples, peaches or grapes, is usually served at breakfast, and 
eaten the first thing on sitting down to table ; and grapes, 
pears, or small fruits, are often served at supper. Oranges 
and bananas, if taken at the regular meal, are served at 
dinner. These dishes (or baskets) of raw fruit, usually 
occupy the center of the table ; and when tastefully ar- 
ranged with green leaves and bright rosy fruit, handsomely 
draped with rich clusters of grapes, they are as ornamental 
as they are palatable. 

Really, there is no table more attractive, or more truly 
artistic, than that which is laden with the simple products 
of the soil; it brings together in choice combination, the 
golden grains variously prepared, the luscious fruits fresh 
from the trees and vines, and those rarest of gifts, the 
fragrant flowers, wet with the dews of the morning. It not 
only feeds the hungry stomach, giving strength to every 
part of the body, but it satisfies a something in our nature 3 
that ranks higher than mere animal existence. 

Table Etiquette. 

Who was it that said, " Let me see a man eat, and I will 
tell you what manner of bringing up he has had ? " Whether 
or not this be strictly true, it is nevertheless a fact that 
the table is the place, of all others, to distinguish between 
the country boor (though boors are not confined to rural 
districts), and the well-bred gentleman or lady. It is also 
the place where true innate refinement of mind and heart, 
as well as a narrow, depraved selfishness, has opportunity 
to display itself. For while there are certain peculiarities 
or customs that are purely arbitrary, and that are limited 
to special localities, there are likewise certain principles of 
36 



548 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

'good breeding, that are common to all people of intelligence 
and culture. 

It is not enough, therefore, that we conform to a particu- 
lar style of manners, belonging to some individual city or 
country ; outside of these conventional forms, we shall find 
oftentimes the very essence of true politeness, in the careful 
observance of those simple usages and customs, which in 
civilized society are applicable to all places and all times. 
A nice appreciation of these, is to a great degree intuitive; 
though very much can be instilled into the mind, by thor- 
ough training in childhood. 

The ever-watchful mother, who desires that her children 
as they grow up, shall take rank among the best in the so- 
ciety in which they live, will not fail to educate her sons 
and daughters in these seemingly small, but really impor- 
tant things. She will teach them to show proper deference to 
older people, to visitors, or strangers; to sit down at table, or to 
rise from it, noiselessly; to wait patiently until helped to food; 
to pass dishes to others before helping one's self; to avoid 
appropriating the best — or largest piece — of what is offered; 
to take from the plate the bit lying nearest, leaving the 
others untouched; to ash for bread or other articles, rather 
than reach for them. She will also instruct each one to 
accept (or politely decline) the thing offered, at once, making 
no excuses, and no awkward delay; to decline what is 
not wanted in so gracious a manner, that its refusal shall 
seem complimentary, rather than otherwise ; to avoid jost- 
ling his neighbor's elbow, or passing dishes in front of that 
individual's plate; to sit erect, neither too near the table, 
nor too far from it; and if it is necessary to move one's 
chair, to do it quietly. 

It is said to be easier to drill a regiment of soldiers, than 
to train an army of little ones. But the maternal head is 
supposed to be equal to every emergency; she must be all 
eyes, and all ears — yes, and all patience. Fortunately, labor 



PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 549 

and love, joined with untiring perseverance, usually con- 
quers all things ; by the time her young cadets are fully 
grown, they will have learned how to handle their " weap- 
ons " properly. Each will have mastered the art — always 
so difficult at first — of holding the knife and fork in a 
proper manner; he will now be able to lift his food with the 
latter, rather than the former ; to take small mouthfuls, 
"carrying the food to the mouth, not the mouth to the 
food;" to close the lips while masticating, and to swallow 
each mouthful without apparent effort. And by the time 
he is ready to enter society, he will have solved the mystery 
of supping his soup or other liquid inaudibly; of eating 
without dropping his food on the table-cloth, or slopping 
(or dragging) it over the edge of his sauce-dish. If more 
food is wanted, he will no doubt remember the instructions 
(oft repeated), to ask for it, and always in a polite manner ; 
to be helped moderately, and not to too many varieties at a 
time ; and furthermore, to leave little or nothing on the 
plate when done. It is a wasteful and slovenly habit among 
Americans, that of leaving the plate half full at the end of 
the meal — or passing it in that condition to the waiter, in 
expectation of another course. 

When seated at table avoid tapping the plate, rattling the 
dishes, playing with your knife and fork, or leaning with 
the elbows on the side of the table; and on no account so 
far forget yourself as to put your own knife or spoon into 
the dishes near you — or, what is thoroughly disgusting — to 
use the comer of the table-cloth, in place of a napkin ; if 
this little convenience is wanting, then your own pocket 
handkerchief would be the only admissible substitute. In 
using the napkin be sure you make it do its work thorough- 
ly (this to gentlemen who wear a heavy mustache), then fold 
it neatly, and lay it beside your plate. Whether at table or 
elsewhere, try not to annoy others by repeatedly clearing 
the throat ; and if while you are eating, the handkerchief 



550 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III, 

becomes a necessity, endeavor to use it inaudibly, and in as 
inconspicuous a manner as possible. Before rising from the 
table, lay your knife and fork on your plate, placing them 
side by side. If bits of food have lodged between the 
teeth, defer using the tooth-pick until after you have left 
the table; then follow with the tooth-brush, using it thor- 
oughly. Should it be necessary to leave the table before 
the rest are done, ask the lady who presides at its head to 
please excuse you ; do this very quietly, and as politely as 
possible. The hostess in like manner, should grant the 
favor with the same gentle courtesy. 

All well-bred people avoid very loud or boisterous laugh- 
ing or talking, at table ; they also discriminate as to who 
should take the lead in conversation, giving the preference 
to those whose age or superior wisdom entitles them to it. 
Nor will a person who has been well brought up, rudely in- 
terrupt another while he is speaking (even Indians talk one 
at a time), or contradict his statement in an abrupt or ex- 
cited manner ; he will wait patiently till the other has 
finished, then quietly take his turn in the conversation, and 
if he entertains opposite views, present them in a way that 
will not give offense ; one can be thoroughly in earnest 
without being dogmatic, or in the least discourteous. More- 
over, it is a rule to be observed in conversing at table, that 
questions requiring an immediate answer be put at the proper 
interval ; and not when the person addressed has just taken 
a fresh mouthful. The reason of this is obvious, since no 
one of any sort of good breeding would attempt to utter a 
sentence with his mouth filled; and to compel him to do so, 
or — what is even more embarrassing — to oblige him to con- 
sume half a minute in masticating and swallowing his food 
before he can speak, is to violate one of the first rules of 
etiquette. 

On the other hand, if one takes his food hurriedly and 
in large mouthfuls, he gives no opportunity for putting the 



PAET in.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 551 

question, and allows himself none for making a response. 
In other words, he makes the business of the hour, eating, 
not talking. This may be excusable under certain circum- 
stances; but to eat habitually at railroad speed, is to deprive 
one's self of a vast amount of pleasure in social life, whicli 
has no equivalent in mere gustatory enjoyment. The En- 
glish and Scotch jDeople, and indeed most foreigners, seem 
to understand this better than we; they make the hour of 
eating a time for social chit-chat, in which the pleasures of 
the appetite are more than equaled by the feast of fellow- 
ship and good cheer, that gives relish to the plainest viands. 
And really, there is no good reason why we should not to 
a certain extent imitate their example; we have but one life 
to live, between the cradle and the grave ; then why not 
enjoy the pleasures of home, family and friends, while we 
have them ? At the generous board, whence the wants of 
the body are supplied, let there be an added repast to feed 
the hungry soul. Here every one, from the oldest to the 
youngest, should be put upon his best behavior, bringing 
nothing to the table that is disagreeable or unwelcome. Let 
the troubles and trials of every-day life retire into the back- 
ground ; leaving for after remembrance the cheerful faces, 
the social gathering and the kindly words, which do so 
much to make up the sum of human happiness, and to bind 
the members of the household together. If strangers or 
friends are gathered here, let this be the time and place to 
extend, not merely the common courtesies of life, but large- 
hearted, generous hospitality. The very poorest can give 
this ; not in rich or costly viands, but in the warmth of a 
kindly heart. A crust of bread is sweet, if offered with an 
open hand. 

Housekeeping. 

There is entirely too much embraced in the term " house- 
keeping," to be set forth in a single chapter; and it may be 
a question whether the discussion of a theme so suggestive, 



552 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

should be undertaken in a work of this kind. It may also 
admit of a doubt, whether it is of much use to lay down 
any set rules in regard to the furnishing of a house, when 
we take into account the fact that a style which might be 
in every way suited to a given locality, or to a particular 
station in life, would be wholly unsuited to another. There 
are, however, certain things pertaining to housekeeping, 
that hold good at all times, and that every housekeeper 
ought to know. Some of these things are so well expressed 
in that excellent work, the Buckeye Cookery, and are so 
thoroughly fitting, that the author has ventured to quote 
from it, verbatim : 

"Housekeeping, whatever may be the opinion of the 
butterflies of the period, is an accomplishment in compari- 
son to which, in its bearing on woman's relation to real life, 
and to the family, all others are trivial. It comprehends 
all that goes to make up a well-ordered home, where the 
sweetest relations of life rest on firm foundations, and the 
purest sentiments thrive. It is an accomplishment that may 
be acquired by study and experiment, but the young and 
inexperienced housekeeper generally reaches success only 
through great tribulation. It ought to be absorbed in girl- 
hood, by easy lessons, taken between algebra, music and 
painting. If girls were taught to take as much genuine 
pride in dusting a room well, hanging a curtain gracefully, 
or broiling a steak to a nicety, as they feel when they have 
mastered one of Mozart's or Beethoven's grand sympho- 
nies, there would be fewer complaining husbands, and un- 
happy wives. The great lesson to learn is, that work well 
done, is robbed of its curse. The woman who is satisfied 
only with the highest perfection in her work, drops the 
drudge and becomes the artist. There is no dignity in 
slighted work; but to the artist, no matter how humble his 
calling, belongs the honor which is inseparable from all 
man's struggles after perfection. No mother who has the 



PART III. J PRACTICAL HINTS. 553 

happiness of her daughter at heart, will neglect to teach 
her, first, the duties of the household; and no daughter 
who aspires to be queen at home, and in her circle of 
friends, can afford to remain ignorant of the smallest de- 
tails that contribute to the comfort, the peace, and the 
attractiveness of home. There is no luck in housekeeping, 
however it may seem. Everything works by exact rule; 
and even with thorough knowledge, eternal vigilance is the 
price of success. There must be a place for everything, and 
everything in its place; a time for everything, and every- 
thing in its time; and 'Patience, patience,' must be written 
in glowing capitals all over the walls. The reward is sure. 
Your husband may admire your grace and ease in society, 
your wit, your school-day accomplishments of music and 
painting; but ail, in perfection, will not atone for an ill- 
ordered kitchen, sour bread, muddy coffee, tough meats, 
unpalatable vegetables, indigestible pastry, and the whole 
train of horrors that result from bad housekeeping. On 
the other hand, success wins gratitude and attachment in 
the home circle, and adds luster to the most brilliant intel- 
lectual accomplishments. 

"One of the first ideas the young housekeeper should 
divest herself of, is that because she is able or expects some 
time to be able to keep servants, it is therefore unnecessary 
to understand household duties, and to bear their responsi- 
bility. ' Girls ' are quick to see, and note the ignorance, or 
incapacity of the mistress of the house; and few are slow to 
take whatever advantage it brings them; but the capacity 
of a mistress, at once establishes discipline." 

In speaking of the sanitary conditions of the house, the 
same author remarks : " There must be plenty of sunlight, 
floods of it in every room, even if the carpets do fade; and 
the housekeeper must be quick to note any scent of decay 
from vegetables or meats in the cellar, or from slops or 
refuse, carelessly thrown about the premises. Every room 



554 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III, 

must be clean and sweet. In sickness, care in all these 
respects must be doubled. In damp and chill autumn and 
spring days, a little fire is comfortable, morning and even- 
ing. The food for the family must be fresh, to be whole- 
some; and it is economy to buy the best, as there is less 
waste in it. No housekeeper ought to be satisfied with any 
but the very best cooking, without which the most whole- 
some food is unpalatable, and distressing; and no consider- 
ations of economy, should ever induce her to place on the 
table bread with the slightest sour tinge, cake or pudding in 
the least heavy or solid, or meat with the slightest taint. 
Their use means disease and costly doctors' bills, to say 
nothing of her own loss of repute, as an accomplished 
housekeeper. If children and servants do their work im- 
properly, she should quietly insist on its being done cor- 
rectly; and in self-defense they will soon do it correctly, 
without supervision. Order and system mean the stopping 
of waste, the practice of economy, and additional means to 
expend for the table, and for the luxuries and elegances of 
life, — things for which money is well expended. It requires 
good food to make good muscle and good brain ; and the 
man or woman who habitually sits down to badly cooked 
or scanty dinners, fights the battle of life at a great disad- 
vantage." 

The Help. 

There is little space in a cook-book for lengthy disserta- 
tions on any subject, even in its most limited and practical 
sense. But there is one matter which enters so deeply into 
our home life, and which so nearly touches all the family 
interests, extending as it does, from attic to basement, and 
from parlor to kitchen, that it can not on any account be 
passed by in silence. Ask the hundreds of thousands of 
wives and mothers in these States, reaching from Maine to 
California, what it is that gives them ceaseless anxiety, bur- 
dens them with care, and disturbs the peace and quiet of 



PAKT ni.] PKACTICAL HINTS. 555 

their homes. They will tell you, many of them with care- 
worn faces, tired limbs and toil-worn hands, that the one 
thing which money can not purchase, nor a good home se- 
cure, is help! In eastern cities, where there are more 
women than men, the supply of female helpers is more 
abundant. In the West, however, there are many causes at 
work, which tend from year to year to reduce the number. 

There was a time when farmers' daughters, the best of 
them, could be had to assist with house-work, or to take sole 
charge of it if necessary, and at comparatively small wages. 
But as the country grew older, and the farmers became 
well-to-do and more intelligent, their daughters were sent 
to school, or to learn dress-making, or some other trade. In 
the mean time the tide of emigration has been steadily flow- 
ing in, and Biddy, or some other girl from a foreign shore, 
has long since taken the place of the farmer's daughter; she 
it is who now does the cooking, washing, ironing, and the 
house-work generally, or it is left to colored help, or to the 
mistress. 

The result of all this has been, that the situation as 
helper (or " servant," as they say in the South and West), is 
not quite respectable; and consequently not as desirable as 
it was formerly. The standard has been lowered ; green 
Irish, or other foreign help, is not on a par with the intelli- 
gent, well-trained mothers' daughters of forty years ago. 
And owing to the dropping off of this latter class of work- 
ers, together with the increase of population, there is 
scarcely an adequate supply of help, even of indifferent 
quality. What, then, are the legitimate consequences *? 
They are three-fold: First, a rise in wages ; second, a diffi- 
culty in obtaining help; third, untrained labor. 

Put these three items together, and what follows ? Half or 
two-thirds of the housekeepers, both in the city and coun- 
try, have either to do their own work, or to put up with 
help that is thoroughly incompetent, and at the same time 



556 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

high-priced. Is the statement overdrawn? Let the farm- 
ers' wives in the Middle or Western States, and the wives 
of mechanics or other tradesmen in the cities, answer. Ask 
them if they can get competent help, or any help, often- 
times, for either love or money. 

The mistress who has help to-day, may be without it to- 
morrow; her neighbor offers higher wages, or requires less 
work for the same money, and the girl is off. In other 
words, the employer and employe have changed places ; 
the latter dictates her terms, and the former has either to 
accept them, or to "make a change," which is usually a thing* 
to be dreaded. For even if the lady is fortunate enough 
to secure help, the new girl will have to be drilled in; and 
if things do not happen to suit her, she will not wait for the 
drilling; she will simply pick up her bundle, and leave. 
She knows very well that half a dozen places are ready for 
her, some of which will no doubt be easier to fill, inasmuch 
as there will be less work to do, or the work itself can be 
done in a less skillful way. Is it any wonder that the mis- 
tress comes finally to tolerate very indifferent service, and 
as little of it as she can get along with? The long and the 
short of the whole matter is, that the girls are on the look-out 
for easy places (the terms will take care of themselves), and 
the poor housewives are asking each other if there is such 
a thing as competent help. 

Now, what is the remedy for this state of affairs ? There 
is no one to blame, in the least — unless it be the employers 
themselves, for not having looked into the matter, long be- 
fore this. The whole difficulty is simply in the relation of 
supply and demand; change this, and the evil will at once 
disappear. Is there not some way of producing the kind of 
help we want, and enough of it ? Most assuredly there is. 
We have but to establish training schools, in which the 
"raw recruits" that come from Ireland, Germany, Den- 
mark, Sweden, anywhere, shall be thoroughly drilled into 



PART ni.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 557 

the arts of American housewifery. Let us employ compe- 
tent teachers, whose special business it shall be to instruct the 
girls; and as soon as the latter have made sufficient prog- 
ress, grant them certificates, stating their qualifications. 

The requisite amount of training would only occupy a 
few months — though some would learn faster than others. 
The " graduates " would of course get situations at once; 
and just as soon as the supply could be made equal to the 
demand, the whole perplexing problem would be solved. 
All that is needed is to make competent help as plentiful as 
are the teachers of common schools; then, none but the de- 
serving could expect to get places, and the wages for serv- 
ice would not be exorbitant. "What the normal schools 
have done for education, the training school for helpers will 
accomplish for our households. Is it not about time that 
steps were taken in this direction ? 

The Huckster System. 

Happy are they who raise their own vegetables, and eat 
them. And next to these, in the enjoyment of field and 
garden luxuries, are the people who dwell in country towns 
large enough to have a good market; for though the prod- 
uce is not of their own raising, they can buy it directly 
from the farmers themselves, who have gathered it fresh 
only the day before. In the large cities, most of the vege- 
tables have to pass through several hands before they reach 
the consumers; and in doing so a good deal of time is re- 
quired, and the articles become in a measure stale. True, 
in most eastern cities the relation of supply and demand 
has been pretty carefully studied, and the time required 
for actual transportation reduced to a minimum; so that in 
the markets there is not only an excellent variety of prod- 
ucts, but these are in relatively good condition. 

But suppose you reside in a southern or western city, 
where what is called the " huckster system " prevails. Here, 



558 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

the whole country, for miles around, is scoured by those 
middle men, the hucksters, who gather up the tender vege- 
tables, cart them from place to place through the hot, broil- 
ing sun, then keep them at their own houses till all have 
been collected together, after which they are hauled to the 
nearest depot, or the city market. By the time they reach 
the latter place, they are no longer fresh and sweet. Once 
in the stalls, however, they must " look their best " to pur- 
chasers; hence, the watering-pot is in demand. 

But -where are the multitudes of buyers, who would no 
doubt like fresh vegetables for dinner ? Evidently they are 
not in the markets; no, they are sitting quietly at home, read- 
ing the morning paper; for rather than pay a high price for a 
tasteless and comparatively stale article, they will get some- 
thing at the nearest meat-stand, and make a dinner on old 
potatoes, steak and onions, and whatever else can be ** pick- 
ed up." This conclusion is the more readily arrived at, 
from the fact that the central market is a mile or two away, 
and not (to most purchasers) on the nearest line of street 
cars; and two hours spent (at breakfast time) in going and 
coming, with a heavy basket to lug to the nearest car, and 
then to your own door, is no fun on a sultry morning in 
June, July, or August. 

It follows, therefore, that neither fruits nor vegetables 
find a ready sale in the stalls; the housewife, with her 
morning's work to look after, or the mother with her little 
children at her knee, can not spare the time to go half 
across the city to get vegetables for dinner, consuming the 
best hours of the whole forenoon. But what becomes of 
the produce in the market; the peas, corn and asparagus; 
the string beans, and new potatoes ? Why, the market-man 
sells part of it to the meat-man at the corner; another por- 
tion he must try to sell, himself; but failing to do so, he 
will let a considerable per cent, of it go to waste in his stalls; 
the balance will have to be disposed of to the city huckster, 






PAET in. J PRACTICAL HINTS. 559 

who now takes his turn in carting these "fresh country 
vegetables" through the hot sun, and along the dusty 
streets, and crying his throat sore to get somebody to buy. 
He will find more purchasers than one would suppose, par- 
ticularly among the boarding-house people, who must have 
something to put on their tables; then, there are those fami- 
lies that live in out-of-the-way places, and who, rather than 
do without vegetables altogether, will take such as they can 
get. 

It is astonishing how much of this second and third-rate 
material accumulates, even in the hottest months; and until 
this is disposed of, no new supplies must be brought in, for 
fear of a glut. Besides, a single car load of actually fresh 
produce, would spoil the sale of that on hand; this must be 
disposed of, before more is received. Hence, the super- 
abundance of stale articles, the extreme scarcity of newly 
gathered vegetables, and the high prices of the latter; to 
say nothing of the death roll that in hot weather follows the 
consumption of the former. 

"What is to be done ? The markets in these cities are so 
few in number compared with the population, and at the 
same time so far apart, that nine-tenths of the people never 
go about them; moreover, the quality of the produce, as 
already stated, is not such as to warrant a ready sale; so 
that once the stalls are filled, thej are likely to remain so. 
This being the case, the huckster in the country may take 
his time in gathering in the next supply; the peas, corn and 
asparagus can remain in the field, till the stock on hand is 
more nearly exhausted. Once or twice a week — three times 
at the farthest — would be often enough to make this forag- 
ing expedition, from the simple fact that there is really no 
demand at the other end of the route. In short, the garden 
products grow old and tough in their beds, get stale after 
they are gathered by standing around the farm houses, and 
when they reach the city through heat and dust, have no 



560 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

higher mission to perform than to go to decay, or to kill the 
people who eat them. 

Do we ask the remedy ? Let us take a hint from those who 
have learned better. In the first place, let there be more 
market-houses; more points of distribution: so that a much 
larger per cent, of people (who now dine on steak, lettuce 
and onions, bought at the family meat-shop) can manage to 
get to market, and make their own purchases. This is the 
first step; the next is, to bring the producer and consumer as 
near together as possible. Let the vegetables be gathered as 
soon as they are ready for use; then let them be rapidly 
transferred to the nearest shipping points, and thence to 
the markets, where they will be quickly sold out and a new 
supply called for. By such an arrangement we need fear 
no glut, since there would be no stagnation at any point; 
and with this healthy activity in all the various departments, 
the supply and demand would necessarily regulate each 
other. 

Who of us shall live to see the desired change ; the time 
when there shall be no over-stocked markets ; no stale or 
half decayed produce in the stalls; no carting of the same 
through the streets of the city to get rid of it; no cholera 
morbus from eating stale melons or fruits; and no deaths 
among infants whose mothers have dined on vegetables that 
have been pulled a week ? Glad enough would we be to see 
the end of a system in which there is neither good economy, 
good sense, nor good eating. 

Hints on Marketing. 

The best way to learn how to market, is to have it to do 
for a season; besides, much of the knowledge thus obtained, 
is not of the kind that can be acquired second-hand. The 
first thing that you have to learn, is not to make your pur- 
chases till you have walked once through the stalls, and 
seen just what there is in them; then, if you live in a large 



PART III. 



PRACTICAL HINTS. 561 



city, you must keep your wits about you, and look out for 
the little tricks of these market people; for example, if you 
are buying small fruits, do not let them serve you from the 
rear of a stale heap, because, forsooth, there happens to be a 
layer of fresh berries on top. Nor must you be coaxed into 
buying a thing, simply because the market-man (or woman) 
says it is so and so. Learn to judge for yourself, as to the 
quality of the article; and if you have any doubts in regard 
to its excellence, do not purchase. If you are not an 
expert at this business, the hints given below on the se- 
lsction of fruits, vegetables and meats, may perhaps be of 
service. 

String Beans. — See that the little stems are green and ten- 
der; if these are dry and shriveled, the beans are stale. 

Young Peas. — Look at the stems; they should be green 
and unshriveled. The pods are not an infallible guide ; 
these often look fresh for days after the stems are shrunken. 

Beets. — Examine the tops; both leaves and stems should 
he perfectly fresh; and the roots if newly dug, will be firm 
to the touch. 

Cabbage. — First look at the stalk, and see whether it is 
entirely sound ; if it is at all discolored, the cabbage is not 
the best. The leaves should be fresh and crisp, and free 
from decay; the outer ones a healthy green, with no yel- 
low, sickly hue about them. 

Cauliflower. — When this vegetable is fresh, the flowers 
are milk-white; if tinged with yellow, it is stale; if brown, 
it is very stale. 

Asparagus. — Asparagus to be good, must be cut (or snap- 
ped off below the ground) as often as every day, or every 
other day, at the farthest; otherwise the stalks will be tough. 
If newly gathered, these should be crisp and tender. 

Xew Potatoes. — Potatoes recently dug, are firm to the 
touch; if unripe, they will become wilted in a few days, and 
will be clammy or sticky when cooked. 



562 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IEL 

Tomatoes. — Tomatoes that are fresh and not overripe, are 
pretty firm to the touch; if soft, they are either too ripe, or 
too long off the vines. In hot weather they get stale in a 
short time. 

Cucumbers. — Fresh cucumbers are harmless to a healthy 
stomach; see that they are firm to the touch, and green and 
white in color— not green and yellow. 

Lima Beans. — These ought never to be gathered till they 
are milk-white in color — not green. If stale, they will 
either be discolored (a sort of dingy yellow), or they will 
be sending out sprouts. 

Green Corn. — Green corn, like young peas, ought to be 
cooked and eaten the day it is gathered. See that the 
grains are plump and unshriveled, and the husks green and 
fresh. If young enough, the milk should spirt out in a jet 
when the grains are pierced with the finger nail. The ever- 
green corn is the best. 

Sweet Potatoes. — In buying sweet potatoes, notice if 
there are any little sprouts beginning to start from their 
surfaces. If so, you may know that the potatoes were ex- 
posed to rains before digging, and that they have com- 
menced to "grow," which always makes them sticky, or 
watery. The red (and white) Nancemond, and the Spanish 
Reds, are fine varieties. 

Watermelons. — It is rather difficult to tell whether a 
watermelon is ripe, except by cutting or " plugging " it ; 
if plugged, it must be eaten the same day. A good test (as 
it does not injure the melon) is to thump with the finger, 
and note the sound ; the higher the "pitch," the riper the 
melon. If recently pulled, the stems will not be black and 
shriveled. Melons that are ripe and fresh, are perfectly 
wholesome; the stale ones produce cholera morbus. 

Cantaloupes. — Ripe muskmelons and cantaloupes, are if 
fresh, firm to the touch, rather than hard ; the stem if on, 
is easily removed; if off, the surface beneath should look 






PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 563 

green and fresh. If the melon yields readily to pressure, as 
if half shriveled, it is stale ; beware of it ! 

Fruits. — It is generally an easy matter to decide whether 
fruits are fresh or stale; if stale, they either look withered, 
or show signs of decay; and usually they are more or less 
discolored. Stale blackberries have a dull red color, which 
some persons mistake at first sight for unripe fruit; if eaten 
in this condition, they often cause cholera morbus. 

The following hints on the selection of meats, poultry, 
fish, etc., are taken from the Buckeye Cookery, which is ex- 
cellent authority: 

" In buying beef, select that which is of a clear, cherry- 
red color, after a fresh cut has been for a few moments ex- 
posed to the air. The fat should be a light straw color, and 
the meat marbled throughout with it. If the beef is imma- 
ture, the color of the lean part will be pale and dull, the 
bones small, and the fat very white. High-colored, coarse- 
grained beef, with the fat a deep yellow, should be rejected. 
In corn-fed beef the fat is yellowish, while that fattened on 
grasses is whiter. In cow-beef, the fat is also whiter than 
in ox-beef. Inferior meat from old or ill-fed animals, has a 
coarse skinny fat, and a dark red lean. Ox-beef is the 
sweetest and most juicy, and the most economical. "When 
meat pressed by the finger rises up quickly, it is prime ; but 
if the dent disappears slowly, or remains, it is inferior in 
quality. Any greenish tints about either fat or lean, or 
slipperiness of surface, indicates that the meat has been 
kept so long that putrefaction has begun; and consequently, 
it is unfit for use, except by those persons who prefer what 
is known as a ' high flavor.' Tastes differ, as to the best 
cuts. The tenderloin, which is the choicest piece, and is 
sometimes removed by itself, lies under the short ribs and 
close to the backbone, and is usually cut through with the 
porterhouse and sirloin steaks. Of these, the porterhouse 
is generally preferred, the part nearest the thin bone being 
37 



564 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

the sweetest. If the tenderloin is wanted, it may be secured 
by buying an edgebone steak, the remainder of which, after 
the removal of the tenderloin, is equal to the sirloin. The 
small porterhouse steaks are the most economical ; but in 
large steaks, the coarse and tough parts may be used for 
soup; or, after boiling, for hash ; which in spite of its bad 
repute, is really a very nice dish when well made. A round 
steak, when the leg is not cut down too far, is sweet and 
juicy." " The interior portion of the round, is the tender- 
est and best. The roasting pieces are the sirloin, and the 
ribs, the latter being most economical at the family table ; 
the bones forming an excellent basis for soup, and the meat, 
when boned and rolled up (which should be done by the 
butcher), and roasted, being in good form for the carver, as 
it enables him to distribute equally the upper part with the 
fatter and more skinny portions." 

" Mutton should be fat, and the fat clear and white. Be 
wary of buying mutton with yellow fat. An abundance of 
fat is a source of waste, but as the lean part of fat mutton 
is much more juicy and tender than any other, it should be 
chosen. After the butcher has cut off all he can be per- 
suaded to remove, you will still have to trim it freely before 
boiling. The lean of mutton is quite different from that of 
beef. While beef is a bright carnation, mutton is a deep 
dark red. The hind quarter of mutton is best for roasting. 
The ribs may be used for chops, and are the sweeter; but 
the leg cutlets are the most economical, as there is much 
less bone, and no hard meat, as on the ribs. Almost any 
part will do for broth. As much of the fat should be re- 
moved as practicable, then cut into small pieces and simmer 
slowly, until the meat falls to pieces." 

" A young turkey has a smooth black leg, and (if male) 
a short spur. The eyes are bright and full, and the feet 
supple, when fresh. The absence of these signs denotes 
&ge and staleness." 



PAET III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 565 

"Young fowls (chickens) have a tender skin, smooth legs 
and comb, and the best have yellow legs. In old fowls the 
legs are rough and hard." 

"In prairie chickens, when fresh, the eyes are full and 
round, not sunken; and if young, the breast-bone is soft, 
.and yields to pressure. The latter test also applies to all 
fowls, and game birds." 

" AYhen fresh, the eyes of fish are full and bright, and 
the gills a fine clear red; the body stiff, and the smell not 
unpleasant. Mackerel must be lately caught, or it is very 
indifferent fish; and the flavor and excellence of salmon, 
depend entirely on its freshness." "All fish which have 
been packed in ice, should be cooked immediately after re- 
moval, as they soon grow soft, and lose their flavor." " If 
frozen when brought from the market, thaw in ice-cold 
water." 

The Cellar. 

A dwelling house should never be without a cellar; and 
the latter should extend under every foot of the former. A 
house built without this convenience is not only incomplete 
in itself, but it is usually damp and unhealthy; with it, the 
dwelling may be healthy or otherwise, according to the con- 
dition in which the cellar is kept. In the first place, every 
room below the ground floor, should be thoroughly dry; 
and in order to have it so, the house itself must be properly 
finished; the eaves must be supplied with gutters and down 
pipes, through which the water from the roof can either 
be carried into a cistern, or else cond acted away from the 
dwelling by means of sewer pipes, or other drainage. 

If in spite of these precautionary measures water finds 
access to the cellar, it must be carefully drained away, or 
(what is better) kept out. Sometimes a beating rain forces 
itself against the outer wall of the building, and the water 
after reaching and saturating the ground trickles through 
crevices in the basement, and covers the cellar floor. To 



566 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

prevent the possibility of an accident of this kind, a good 
plan is to shovel away the earth that lies next to and out- 
side the cellar wall, forming a deep trench; then fill the 
latter with clay, packing or stamping it in, until it is per- 
fectly solid. Continue this embankment, either with the 
clay itself, or clay and other earth mixed, till there is suffi- 
cient slope to carry the water some distance from the house; 
too far for it to soak into the ground adjacent to the wall 
below. Should a subterranean stream of water find access 
to the cellar, either by forcing its way through the walls, 
or up through the floor, it must be conducted away as rap- 
idly as it flows in, by means of thorough drainage. 

In making a cellar, be sure you have the walls and floor 
proof against rats; the walls should be built of stone, laid 
in lime or cement; and in very cold climates an inner wall 
of brick, with an air space between the two, is sometimes 
made. The floor should consist of a good layer of small 
stones — usually broken limestone — over which is poured a 
hard cement, the latter finished perfectly smooth. Let the 
compartments be so constructed as to admit of thorough 
ventilation, and a reasonable amount of light; the number 
and dimensions of these will of course depend upon the 
size of the house. A dwelling with ten rooms may have in 
its basement a laundry, a furnace room, a cold air chamber 
(in connection with the furnace), a fruit room (for canned 
goods), a cold room for vegetables and raw fruits, a dark 
apartment for potatoes, and a main thoroughfare; the dark 
room may be at the far end of the latter. In the fruit 
room there should be closets, each with its tier of shelves, 
and a lock and key to its door; these closets should be ac- 
cessible to the light when the doors are open, but entirely 
dark when these are shut. 

The cellar like the living-rooms, ought if possible to have 
a good supply of air, light and sunshine, the morning sun 
being preferable; and all its compartments should be easy 



PART III. J PRACTICAL HINTS. 567 

of access, both from the outside, and from the kitchen 
st aii way. But the one thing to be remembered, first, last, 
and all the time, is that every part of it must be kept clean; 
no mould, no decaying vegetables or leaves, no tainted 
meats, no soured fruits or other spoiled victuals, no stag- 
nant water, no any thing that can possibly create a bad 
odor, or in any way contaminate the air. Even the dust 
and cobwebs ought to be pretty carefully looked after. Of 
course there must be no roaches, no mice, and if possible 
no flies; all these pests give least trouble when there is 
nothing lying around to feed them; but if they do put in 
an appearance, the best way is to exterminate as rapidly as 
possible. 

Briefly, then, let every part of the cellar be well kept; 
throw open the doors and windows frequently, and let the 
fresh air blow through the whole of it. And in the cold 
room, where apples, pumpkins, squashes, and other market 
products are stored, let the windows remain open whenever 
it is not cold enough to freeze. — One other very important 
matter must not be overlooked; see that the plumbing is in 
perfect order — no leaky or obstructed drain-pipes, to breed 
disease. Spoiled meats, stale milk, rotten apples, old cab- 
bage leaves, etc., may be the cause of malignant fevers, or 
chronic ill health. But worse than even these, is an accu- 
mulation of animal excretions or other impurity, resulting 
from imperfect sewerage or drainage. Some things ought 
to be attended to, but these things must be done. 

The Ice-House. 

In warm climates the ice-house is not only a great con- 
venience, it is next to a necessity, particularly in the sum- 
mer season; and in large establishments, it is very essential 
as a matter of economy, as well as comfort. Fruits, vege- 
tables, and animal products, can be preserved for an almost 
indefinite length of time, if kept in a good ice-house where 



568 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

the temperature is only a little above the freezing point. 
For the benefit of our " country cousins " who can not hail 
the ice-wagon every morning, the following suggestions 
from the Buckeye Cookery, on constructing and filling an 
ice-house, may be of practical value: 

" A cheap ice-house may be made by partitioning off a 
space about twelve feet square in the wood-shed, or even in 
the barn. The roof must be tight over it, but there is no 
necessity for matched or fine lumber for the walls. They 
should however be coated with coal-tar inside, as the 
long-continued moisture puts them to a severe test, and 
brings on decay. Ice should be taken from still places in 
running streams, or from clear ponds. It may be cut with 
half an old cross-cut saw, but there are saws and ice-plows 
made for the purpose, to be had in almost every village. 
In cutting ice, as soon as it is of sufficient thickness, and 
before much warm weather, select a still day, with the ther- 
mometer as near zero as may be. Ice handles much more 
comfortably and easily when it is so cold that it immediate- 
ly freezes dry, thus preventing the wet clothes and mittens, 
which are the sole cause of any suffering in handling it ; 
and ice put up in sharp, cold weather, before it has been 
subjected to any thaw, will keep much better, and be much 
more useful in the hot days of summer, than if its packing 
had been delayed until late winter or early spring, and then 
the ice put up half melted and wet. The best simple con- 
trivance for removing blocks of ice from the water, is a 
plank with a cleat nailed across one end, to be slipped un- 
der the block, which slides against the cleat and may then 
be easily drawn out with the plank, without lifting. Cut 
the ice in large blocks of equal size, pack as closely as pos- 
sible in layers, leaving about a foot of space between the 
outside and the wall, and filling all crevices between the 
blocks with pounded ice or sawdust. Under the first layer 
there should be placed sawdust a foot thick, and arrange* 



PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 569 

merits should be made for thorough drainage, as water in 
contact with the ice will melt it rapidly. As the layers are 
put in place, pack sawdust closely between the mass of ice 
and the wall; and when all is stored, cover with a foot at 
least, of sawdust. In using ice, be careful to cover all 
crevices with sawdust, as the ice will melt rapidly if exposed 
to the air. 

" The less ventilation and the more completely an ice- 
house is kept closed, the better the ice will keep. The cold 
air which surrounds the ice, if undisturbed by currents, has 
little effect on it; but if there are openings, currents are 
formed, and the warm air is brought in to replace the cold. 
This is especially the case, if the openings are low, as the 
cold air being the heavier, passes out below most readily. 
For this reason, great care must be taken to fill in fresh, 
sawdust between the walls and the mass of ice, as it settles 
down by its own weight, and the melting of the ice. There 
is no advantage in having an ice-house wholly or partly 
underground, if it is constructed as directed above. Fine 
chaff, or straw cut fine, may be substituted for sawdust 
when the latter is difficult to obtain. Of course, the build- 
ing may be constructed separately, in which case the cost 
need not be more than twenty-five to fifty dollars." 

Those who have not an ice-house, but can get the ice, may 
easily construct an ice-chest; a few feet of inch boards, 
these of hard wood — never use pine, as the odor is un- 
pleasant — with zinc for lining, a little sawdust for packing, 
a handful of nails and four hinges, constitute the materials. 
The chest must of course have double walls, with a space be- 
tween for the packing; also an inner and outer lid, both fitting 
closely, to exclude the air. In the center of the chest, 
stretching from side to side, must be movable slats (strips 
of wood covered with zinc), or if you have it, a wire shelf, 
resting on a fold of the zinc lining. When in use, lift this 
shelf or partition, lay the ice in the bottom of the chest, re- 



570 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAET III. 

place the shelf, set on it the things you wish to keep cold, 
and then shut down the lids securely. In the bottom of 
the chest there must be a hole lined with zinc; or a bit of 
lead pipe may be inserted, to carry off the water as the ice 
melts. 

Bills of Fake. 

The f oDowing bills of fare are intended merely as hints to 
the intelligent housewife; it will often happen that one or 
more of the dishes named, can not be secured; and that 
something else will have to take its place. Raw fruits, for 
example, are not always to be had; and stewed fruits, often- 
times, will have to give place to canned ones; or the canned, 
to dried. And so of the grains, or vegetables; a particular 
one specified in the bill of fare, may be the very thing you 
have not got For this reason it has seemed necessary, not 
only to make the list of vegetables pretty full, but in some 
instances to give an alternative article, so that if one is not 
at hand, the cook can take the other. The dishes selected 
from the Compromise or Part III., may or may not consti- 
tute a part of a given meal. If included (at dinner at least), 
they must to a certain extent, take the place of one or more 
of the dishes in the regular course; for example, baked 
Indian pudding maybe substituted for rice or hominy; and 
baked fish, for stewed or baked beans. 

The objection will no doubt be raised by some, that too 
great a variety of food has been introduced at a single 
meal; and that two or three kinds of vegetables at dinner, 
ought to be enough. This is very true; it must be borne 
in mind, however, that it is much easier for the cook to leave 
off a dish or two from the bill of fare, than it would be to 
improvise new ones, to take the place of those that can not 
be obtained in the market. In other words, we must leave 
room for a certain amount of selection, in the planning of 
the meal. Let it be remembered, meanwhile, that cer- 
tain vegetables seem to offset each other, by way of contrast; 



PAET III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 571 

thus, sweet potatoes (because of their sweetness) go well 
with tomatoes, their natural opposites; while roast meat or 
baked beans, call for sour oranges, or spinach with lemon 
juice. — But for further hints on this subject, the reader is 
referred to the chapter on Food Combinations. 

Among the various articles of food given, it will be seen 
that there is at least one that is expected to appear regularly, 
at both breakfast and dinner: viz., the hard Graham roll. 
It may be eaten warm for breakfast, and cold for dinner; 
and should there chance to be a few rolls left over, they 
will not come amiss at supper. 

The ripe fruits spoken of below, may be apples, peaches, 
pears, plums, grapes, cherries, currants or berries. Apples 
are best eaten at breakfast, and at the beginning of the meal; 
grapes and cherries also do their best service eaten in the 
same way. In warm weather, the acid fruits are usually 
preferred; but when the weather is cool or cold, and the 
appetite keen, sweet or dried fruits are in some respects 
more satisfactory; some of the latter, however (as peaches 
or prunes), are too hearty for supper. 

Potatoes may or may not appear at the breakfast table ; 
some persons are better without them at this meal. Mushes 
and grains are as a rule more easily digested at breakfast or 
dinner, than at supper; they may be served with or without 
a dressing of fruit. 



Breakfast. — (Spring or Summer.) 

Sunday. 

Bipe fruits, as apples, peaches or grapes. Hard Graham 
rolls; Graham loaf bread, or dry toast. Corn meal, or 
farina mush. Baked potatoes, peeled or unpeeled. Stewed 
sweet currants, or canned pears. 

Compromise. — Soft boiled eggs. 



572 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PART IIT. 

Monday. 
Bipe fruit. Hard Graham rolls; cream biscuits. Oat 
meal mush. Boiled or mashed potatoes. Stewed or canned 
apples, or stewed dried apples. 

Tuesday. 

Hard Graham rolls; mush biscuits, or mush rolls. Gra- 
ham or oat meal mush. Browned potatoes. Strawberries 
or raspberries; these ripe, stewed or canned. 

Compromise. — Eggs and toast. 



Bipe fruit. Hard Graham rolls; leavened Graham bread. 
Oat meal or farina mush. Mashed or baked potatoes. 
Stewed dried peaches (peeled), baked apples, or canned 
plums. 

Thursday. 

Bipe fruit. Hard Graham rolls; currant gems, or dry 
toast. Oat meal mush, or steamed rice. Boiled or baked 
potatoes. Stewed apples, canned peaches, or stewed cher- 
ries. 

Compromise. — Corn cake; or leavened Graham bread 
(half white flour) with fresh butter. 

Friday. 
Bipe fruit. Hard Graham rolls ; leavened Graham bread. 
Graham or oat meal mush. Browned or mashed potatoes. 
Baspberries and currants (mixed); these stewed or canned 
— or blackberries or cherries, stewed or canned. 

Saturday. 

Hard Graham rolls; corn gems, or hot- water rolls. Oat 
meal mush. Boiled or baked potatoes. Stewed or canned 
plums, strawberries, or baked apples. 

Compromise. — Green corn, griddle-cakes, or milk toast. 



PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 573 

Dinner. — (Spring or Summer.) 
Sunday. 

Hard Graham rolls; corn bread, or Graham loaf bread 
Pearl wheat, or pearl barley. Mashed or baked potatoes. 
Stewed turnips; or string beans, stewed or canned. Scram- 
bled or baked tomatoes. Rhubarb pie. 

Compromise. — Roast lamb, or broiled beef-steak. Cauli- 
flower with tomato sauce — no turnips, or beans. 

Monday. 

Hard Graham rolls; Graham crackers, or dry toast. 
Stewed Lima beans (dried or green), or sweet potatoes. 
Canned or sliced tomatoes. Boiled or mashed potatoes. 
Hominy, or rice. 

Compromise. — Vegetable soup, or corn and tomato soup. 
Baked Indian pudding — no hominy, or rice. 

Tuesday. 

Apples, peaches or pears. Hard Graham rolls; corn 
bread, or mush rolls. Canned corn, or boiled green corn. 
Baked potatoes. Samp, or cracked wheat. Stewed or can- 
ned fruit. Apple dumplings, or berry pie. 

Compromise. — Mutton chops (broiled or stewed), or Lan- 
cashire pie. Bird's- nest pudding — no berry pie, or dump- 
lings. 

Wednesday. 

Cantaloupes, or bananas. Hard Graham rolls ; Graham 
loaf bread. Green or canned peas. Stewed or baked to- 
matoes. Boiled or mashed potatoes. Stewed green corn, 
succotash, or asparagus on toast. 

Compromise. — Rice pie, or Queen of puddings — no can- 
taloupes, or bananas. 



574 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PABT III. 

Thursday. 

Watermelons. Hard Graham rolls ; corn bread, or dry 
toast. Sweet potatoes, or stewed Lima beans. Cauliflower, 
or cabbage. Sliced or canned tomatoes. Mashed potatoes, 
or new potatoes. 

Compromise. — Green corn pudding, or rhubarb Charlotte 
— no watermelons. 

Friday. 

Hard Graham rolls ; leavened Graham bread. Stewed or 
baked beans. Summer squashes. Stewed rhubarb — or 
beets (or spinach) with lemon juice. Boiled or baked pota- 
toes. Barley, or green corn. Baked tomatoes. 

Compromise. — Lemon tapioca pudding. Baked fish — no 
beans. 

Saturday. 

Apples, peaches or grapes. Hard Graham rolls ; corn 
bread, or dry toast. Stewed green corn, or baked toma- 
toes. Rice and raisins. Mashed or baked potatoes. Stewed 
or canned fruit. Apple or berry pie (or cobbler), or straw- 
berry shortcake. 

Compromise. — Beef or mutton pie, with light cream paste. 
Fruit pudding — no fruit pie, or shortcake. 

Suppers. — (All the year.) 

The suppers should consist mainly of bread and fruit. 
Let the bread be good ^home-made Graham loaf, leavened 
or unleavened, with perhaps a plate of dry toast, or hard 
Graham rolls ; the loaf should be at least one day old; the 
rolls are best baked the same day. Wheaten or oat meal 
crisps are well liked, either at breakfast or supper, particu- 
larly in cold weather. 

The raw fruits served at supper, should be berries, 
grapes, pears, peaches, or plums — not apples; and as a rule, 
only one variety at a time. To these may be added, a dish 



PART III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 575 

of baked or stewed apples, or any other fruit, stewed or 
canned; most dried fruits are rather too hearty to be eaten 
at this meal. One kind of cooked fruit is usually enough ; 
especially if there is a dish of raw fruit on the table. In 
selecting for supper, avoid, as a general thing, taking the 
same kind of fruit that you had for breakfast — or the sup- 
per previous; the palate is apt to tire of too much sameness 
or repetition. In this latitude there is a very fine variety 
of fruits, if we only take the pains to secure them; in the 
raw, stewed and canned fruits, we have the berries and 
their juices, choice grapes, apples, peaches, pears, plums, 
cherries, oranges, etc.; then, there are the sweet and other 
dried fruits, which are particularly acceptable in winter. 

If mushes (fresh-made, cold or warmed over) are eaten at 
supper, they may be served with some kind of juicy fruit, 
stewed or canned; or with any of the fruit juices, as grape, 
strawberry, or gooseberry. Currant scone, served with 
grape or other fruit juice, or with 'fresh cranberry sauce, is 
excellent as an occasional dish at supper. 

For company, add to the above simple repast a plain 
cake, a handsome basket of fruit, and one of the numerous 
dishes named under the head of Moulded Farinacea. 

Breakfast. — (Autumn and Winter.) 

The breakfasts during this half of the year, do not differ 
materially from those in spring and summer, except that 
corn bread and baked potatoes come more frequently to 
the table, and there is a larger per cent, of dried fruits, 
with fewer green ones. Good dried apples, peaches, pears, 
plums, prunelles, apricots, cherries, prunes, or plums and 
prunes mixed, may in cold weather be served for breakfast 
two or three mornings in the week, provided they do not 
persistently follow each other, in close, consecutive order. 
They are welcomed most on a cold crisp morning; and all 
the more, if there is a dish of ripe bellflowers, pippins, or 



576 HEALTH IN THE HOUSEHOLD. [PAKT III. 

greenings in the center of the table. Good fall and winter 
apples should be served every morning on sitting down at 
table, from the time they first begin to ripen, till late in the 
spring, when there are no longer any to be had. Indeed, 
there is not a fruit that can fully take their place; though 
good grapes or peaches serve finely for a time. 

Let the breakfast, then, be a dish of raw apples or other 
ripe fruit; hard Graham rolls, to which may be added, loaf, 
corn, or other bread; oat meal or other mush; baked or 
boiled potatoes, if they are liked; and any one of the fol- 
lowing fruits : baked apples, cranberry sauce, apples and 
quince, or other stewed fruit, dried or green; or you may 
substitute some kind of canned fruit ; one variety- is 
enough, particularly if there is raw fruit on the table, in 
addition. Occasionally, on cold mornings, you may if liked, 
stir a pound of fresh dates into the Graham or oat meal 
mush, five minutes before taking it from the fire. 

If compromise dishes are indulged in occasionally, select 
from the following : buckwheat cakes — these are good and 
wholesome, served with stewed or canned fruit — rice or 
corn griddle-cakes, cream fruit gems, corn cakes, bachelor's 
Johnny cake, Graham and corn muffins, milk toast, soft 
boiled eggs, eggs and toast, hash toast, stewed potatoes, 
corn mush and milk, oat meal mush and milk, luaf. bread 
(part Graham) and fresh butter. For good health, however, 
these should not appear too often. 

Dinnee. — (Autumn and Winter.) 

Sunday. 

Hard Graham rolls; leavened Graham bread, or (in cold 

weather) steamed corn bread. Sweet potatoes, or baked 

squash. String beans. Mashed potatoes. Stewed or 

baked tomatoes. Cranberry pie. 

Compromise. — Lamb chops, or pot roast; celery or spinach, 
the latter with lemons. 



PAET III.] PRACTICAL HINTS. 577 

Monday. 

Oranges. Hard Graham rolls; corn bread, or Graham 
loaf bread. Pearl or cracked wheat. Stewed or baked 
beans. Boiled or mashed potatoes. Stewed turnips. 

Compromise. — Barley and tomato soup, or " All the gar- 
den " soup — no oranges. Rice pudding, or beef or mutton 
hash. 

Tuesday. 

Hard Graham rolls; corn bread, or rye, wheat and Indian 
bread. Stewed squash, or ruta-baga turnips. Canned 
peas, canned corn, or succotash. Baked potatoes. Stewed 
or canned tomatoes. 

Compromise. — Farina pudding, or lemon custard pudding. 

Wednesday. 

Hard Graham rolls; mush rolls, or steamed corn bread. 
Nuts. Baked or mashed potatoes. Barley or rice. Canned 
corn. Baked tomatoes. Stewed or canned fruit. Apple or 
peach cobbler, or other fruit pie. 

Compromise. — Beef or mutton pie, or broiled beef-steak- 
Apple batter pudding, or sweet-apple pudding — no fruit 
pie, or cobbler. 

Thursday. 

Hard Graham rolls; corn bread, or leavened Graham 
bread. Sweet potatoes. Cabbage, string beans, or spinach. 
Boiled or mashed potatoes. Sliced or canned tomatoes — or 
fresh oranges. 

Compromise.— Manioca pudding, rice pie, or steamed In- 
dian pudding — no oranges. 

Friday. 

Bananas. Hard Graham rolls; hot- water rolls, or leavened 
Graham bread. Mashed or baked potatoes. Stewed tur- 



578 HEALTH IN TEE HOUSEHOLD. [PART III. 

nips or parsnips. Stewed or baked tomatoes. Hominy, 
samp, or canned corn. 

Compromise. — Baked fish, or beef's tongue with tomato 
sauce. Oranges — no bananas. 

Saturday. 

Hard Graham rolls; corn bread, or rye, wheat and Indian 
bread. Boiled or mashed potatoes. Lima beans, or succo- 
tash. Stewed onions, or canned peas. Sliced tomatoes, or 
oranges. 

Compromise. — Tomato (or bean and tomato) soup — no 
onions or peas. Pumpkin, squash or potato pie — no oranges. 

Lunch for Picnics. 

Hygienic. — Make selections from the following: Ripe 
apples, peaches, pears, grapes, oranges, bananas. Ripe 
tomatoes, round and smooth, and not very large. Nuts. 
Hard Graham rolls; wheat meal crisps; Graham crackers;* 
oat meal crisps, or Scotch oat cakes. Graham loaf bread; 
cream biscuits; currant scone; Graham fruit roll. Straw- 
berry (or raspberry) shortcake ; strawberry gem-cake; 
shortcake or gem-cake made with stewed cherries or stewed 
gooseberries, the latter nearly ripe. Potatoes, sweet or 
Irish, roasted in ashes. Cracked wheat, rice and raisins, oat 
meal mush with dates; these dishes moulded, and served 
with fruit juice. Baked apples; canned fruit; grape juice. 
Fruit pies; apple or peach cobbler. 

Compromise. — Select from the above, and add two or 
more of the following dishes: Pressed chicken or lamb; 
cold tongue; beef or tongue sandwiches; potted beef; cold 
sliced beef or turkey; hard boiled eggs. Sweet-apple pud- 
ding; cold rice pudding; lemon tapioca pudding; rice and 
raisin pudding; rhubarb Charlotte. Graham cream cake* 
Graham fruit cake; Sally Lunn. Rice or potato pie. Lemon- 
ade. 



part iii.] practical hints. 579 

Traveling Lunches. 

Hard Graham rolls; Scotch oat cakes; Graham crackers, 
or wheat meal crisps; currant scone, or Graham fruit roll; 
cream biscuits. Apples and oranges; lemons; grapes, 
peaches or pears; bananas; in hot weather, good ripe 
tomatoes; (these and oranges take the place of water, when 
it is too poor in quality or too ice-cold to drink with safety.) 
Grape juice; gooseberry or other fruit juice; these in glass 
cans or bottles. Cherries or other fruits, also in cans. 
Baked apples. Fruit pies; these made in turnovers, from 
dried fruits, as apples or peaches; if made of berries or 
other raw fruit, the pie must not be too juicy; use no water, 
and if necessary sprinkle a little flour over the fruit before 
baking. 

Compromise. — Select from the preceding, and then add 
what is wanted from the following dishes: Cold beef or 
mutton; roast chicken or turkey; pressed chicken or lamb; 
cold tongue; beef or tongue sandwiches. 



38 



ADDENDUM. 



After having written the foregoing pages for the express 
purpose of teaching how to cook in the proper way, the 
writer is cheeringly consoled by being asked in all serious- 
ness, whether it would not be better to do without cooking, 
altogether. Some late writers — and some not so late — have 
given it as their opinion, that heat, so far from improving 
the quality of the various food products, actually destroys, 
to a certain extent, their nutritive properties ; that it so 
changes the organic structure of the grains, fruits and 
vegetables, that they are never again the same ; that these, 
if submitted to a certain degree of heat — less, even, than it 
takes to cook them — are so impaired, as respects their 
vitality, that they lose their germinating or propagating 
power; that instead of being more palatable and more 
easily digested, the very reverse is true; and that if we 
would get all the good there is in them, we must take them 
fresh from the hand of Nature. 

Now, so far as fruits are concerned, most persons — per- 
haps all hygienists — will admit that these, properly grown 
and thoroughly ripe, are all or nearly all, infinitely better 
raw than cooked. What is a cooked orange, strawberry, 
peach, pear, pine-apple, or plum, compared to one in the 
natural state? And some of the vegetables, as cabbage, 
lettuce, celery, etc., are by many persons relished better raw 
than cooked. The grains, too, as wheat, or corn, eaten in the 
immature state, when the kernels are easily masticated, are 
(580) 



ADDENDUM. 581 

acknowledged by all to be very delicious; and it is argued 
by some, that if we had good sound teeth with which to 
pulverize the ripe grain, we should find that that too was 
equally sweet and good. It is also suggested that where 
the teeth are imperfect, the grains may be very easily mas- 
ticated by first crushing or cutting them, and if need be, 
soaking in a little water; and that if eaten in this way, 
either by themselves, or with nuts or raisins, they are ex- 
ceedingly palatable. An excellent cake is said to be made, 
by mixing together nuts, raisins, and wheat or oat meal, 
coarsely ground, and then submitting the mass to pressure, 
until the flavors are well blended together. 

But as the writer of this work has had little experience 
in the matter of uncooked food (aside from fruits), suppose 
we let those who are better acquainted with the subject, 
speak for themselves. Perhaps the first, in this country, to 
call attention to the superior merit of uncooked food, was 
Sylvester Graham, M.D. In his Science of Human Life, 
speaking of the "general physiological laws in regard to 
preparing food," he says : " All artificial means to effect 
that which the living body has natural faculties and powers 
to accomplish, always and inevitably impair and tend to 
destroy the physiological powers designed to perform the 
function or to produce the effect." He gives illustrations 
to prove the correctness of this statement, and then adds: 
" It may therefore be laid down as a general law, that all 
processes of cooking, or artificial preparation of foods by 
fire, are in themselves, considered with reference to the 
very highest and best condition of human nature, in some 
degree detrimental to the physiological and psychological 
interests of man." He sums up by saying, that if man 
lived upon uncooked foods, he would have to use his teeth, 
and would therefore preserve them ; he would masticate his 
food better, and by thorough insalivation, render it fit for 
the stomach; he would swallow it slowly, instead of bolting 



582 ADDENDUM. 

it down in a crude condition; he would take it at a proper 
temperature, and not weaken the stomach with hot foods; 
he would eat the food as Nature prepares it, not served in 
the form of a highly concentrated aliment; he would par- 
take of the simple, individual food substances, and would 
not suffer from all manner of injurious combinations; and 
finally, he would be less likely to suffer from over-eating, 
than he would if he lived upon soft, cooked foods. 

Some more recent writers have taken up this subject, and 
are giving it very special attention. Gustav Schlickeysen, 
who is a most charming writer, has written a work on Fruit 
and Bread, in which he expresses himself very decidedly, in 
regard to the cooking of foods; and whether or not we are 
prepared to receive all that he has to say on the subject, it 
can do us no harm to follow his argument. He remarks: 

" Of all the artificial forms of treatment to which foods 
are subjected, that of cooking is the most universal, and 
therefore demands here our especial attention. If we 
rightly consider the influence of this process upon all the 
natural properties of a plant, we must concede that it is in 
almost every case injurious, and that it should be dispensed 
with, so far as our present habits of life will admit of, and 
with a view to its final and complete disuse. The natural 
fluids of the plant are, in great part, lost in cooking, and 
with them the natural aroma so agreeable to the senses and 
so stimulating to the appetite. The water supplied arti- 
ficially, does not possess the same properties as that which 
has been lost, and all the less so, since it has been boiled. 
The cellular tissue of the plant loses also its vitality, and 
ripe uncooked fruits and grains, with their unbroken cellu- 
lar tissue, their stimulating properties; their great content 
of water, sugar and acids, and their electrical vitality, are 
calculated to impart to the human body a rosy freshness, to 
the skin a beautiful transparency, and to the whole muscu- 
lar system the highest vigor and elasticity. Uncooked 



ADDENDUM. 583 

fruits, especially, excite the mind to its highest activity. 
After eating them we experience an inclination to vigorous 
exercise, and also an increased capacity for study and all 
mental work; while cooked food causes a feeling of satiety 
and sluggishness. Not only do plants lose their vital, but to 
some extent also their nutritive properties, when cooked. 
The vegetable acids and oils, the latter being of especial 
value in the development of- the bony structure of the body, 
are, by cooking, dissipated; while the albuminoids are co- 
agulated, and thereby less easily digested, so that the nu- 
tritive value of the food is reduced to a minimum. Another 
injury that results from cooked food, is that caused by the 
artificial heat. All neat excites through expansion an in- 
creased activity, but this activity is not normal in the case 
of food eaten hot. 

" Again, the sensory nerves of the lips and the nerves of 
taste, are weakened by hot food to such an extent that they 
no longer serve as an infallible test of its quality ; and 
hence articles that seem in the mouth to be palatable and 
good may be very injurious to the system, both on account 
of their natural properties and their artificial heat. In a 
similar manner the sense of smell is blunted; and not less 
injuriously does hot food act upon the teeth, the enamel of 
which is destroyed, rendering them unfit for their work of 
mastication, in consequence of which the food passes un- 
prepared into the stomach. The eyes are also injured by 
the action of hot food upon the nerves connected with 
them. That condition of weak and watery eyes so appar- 
ent in the habitual drunkard, exists in a certain degree 
with all whose systems are enervated by hot and stimulat- 
ing foods. But the greatest harm from hot food is caused 
in the stomach itself, the coats of which are irritated, red- 
dened, and unnaturally contracted by the heat, so that they 
lose their vigorous activity and capacity for the complete 
performance of their natural functions. The blood excited 



584 ADDENDUM. 

by the heat flows in excess to the stomach, and thence 
feverishly through the body. One result of this is the 
flushed condition of the head after eating. Hot food also 
causes excess in eating, so that it is rather by a sense of 
fullness and oppression than by a natural satisfaction of the 
appetite, that one is prompted to cease eating. An evidence 
of the weakening of the stomach by hot food, is seen when 
one eats an apple immediately after the usual hot meal. 
Fruit thus taken lies like a stone upon the stomach, the en- 
feebled nerves being injuriously affected by its presence ; 
whereas, in their normal condition, they are stimulated to a 
most agreeable activity by it. 

"From the abuse of the organs of digestion, result a 
host of diseases. A life-long weakness of the gastric nerves, 
with cramps and inflammation of the stomach, are its com- 
mon fruits. To this cause also is attributable the almost 
universal prevalence of colds, which are the direct result of 
unnatural temperature conditions of the body. The blood 
artificially heated causes an excessive perspiration, since it 
produces an increased, but injurious activity of the skin ; 
and upon the least change of temperature, the perspiration 
is condensed upon the body, and causes colds and stiffness, 
and this all the more certainly when the blood is impure, 
and the tissues overloaded. From the same prolific cause, 
result also the uneasiness and languor experienced after 
eating hot food. But the evil effect can not be overcome by 
the usual after-dinner nap. This can not replace the ele- 
ments lost from our food, nor give the enlivening impulse 
experienced after partaking of ripe fruits in their natural 
state. 

" It is indeed argued, that our northern climate requires 
that food should be eaten hot, as one means of maintaining 
the bodily temperature; but if this be true of man, it must 
apply with equal force to all animals; and since man alone 
seems to require hot food, the argument loses its force. In 



ADDENDUM. 585 

the polar regions, the conditions of animal life show plainly 
that the natural process of generating heat is not by put- 
ting heated substances into the stomach, but by the normal 
action of the vital forces upon food taken in its natural 
state. Greater thirst is experienced after eating cooked 
than uncooked food, and this results both from the change 
which the food has undergone, and from the perspiration 
caused by the increased heat of the body. The artificial 
solution of the food impairs its nutritive properties, and 
weakens the natural functions of the body, by depriving 
them of their natural employment; and this has been so 
long continued, that we are now almost incapable of digest- 
ing uncooked grains, so that their enlivening and invigorat- 
ing action is almost unknown." 

This writer lays a great deal of stress upon what he terms 
the " electrical vitality " of foods; on this subject, he says: 

"Finally — and this is the point that physiologists have 
hitherto quite overlooked — the food must contain a certain 
electrical vitality. Although the real origin and nature of the 
vital force is not yet known, we believe that it is closely 
related to electricity; not less so, indeed, than to light and 
heat. Electricity is abundant in all purely natural products, 
and indeed everywhere, where a free and uninterrupted ex- 
change of the influences of light, heat and air exist. It is 
less abundant in closed dwellings and sleeping-rooms than 
in the open air. An outdoor walk refreshes us, not only 
by the increased consumption of oxygen, but by the in- 
creased action of the electrical forces. The same vitality 
is stored up in uncooked plants and fruits, but is greatly 
impaired by all our culinary processes. Fruits act also 
through their natural acids, their refreshing coolness, and 
the easy assimilation of their albuminous products, and 
other nourishing materials. 

" By the electrical vitality of a food, we do not mean its 
nutritive worth, nor indeed any material element of it, but 



586 ADDENDUM. 

rather an imponderable fluid, which is related to the vital 
and electrical forces of the human system. The organic 
vital force has not incorrectly been called, the interrogation 
point of physiology; and the physiologists and chemists of 
the old school, thought to maintain this force by supplying 
albuminoids to the system. The fact, however, is the 
reverse. The albuminoids demand rather a great expense 
of vitality for their solution and digestion. We know now, 
with great certainty, and by practical experience, that the 
human system is maintained and strengthened by the con- 
sumption of fresh air, fresh water, and ripe fruits and 
grains; but these essential means of sustenance are reduced 
from the rank of vital to merely nutritive substances, by 
any treatment that through heat or otherwise, destroys their 
natural vitality. Our physiologists have not hitherto under- 
stood this difference between the vital and the merely nu- 
tritive properties of food, and hence, as we have already 
pointed out, have regarded foods merely as chemical sub- 
stances. They have discovered and laid down, with wonder- 
ful exactness, the chemical elements of the living body, and 
hence of the food requisite, according to their views, to its 
maintenance; but we hope to show in the following pages 
that their methods, and consequently their dietetic conclu- 
sions, have been one-sided, and essentially erroneous. So 
long as the electrical vitality of food is overlooked, and the 
bearings of anthropology upon the question ignored, a scien- 
tific system of diet must remain impossible. 

" The value of foods consists not in their nutritive prop- 
erties alone, but in their proper proportion of fluids ; in 
the necessary bulk, by which digestion is rendered possible; 
in the natural stimulation of their juices and acids; in the 
aroma by which the appetite is aroused and its regular 
recurrence promoted; in their chemically neutral character, 
which prevents their generating acids or forming injurious 
compounds in the stomach; in their freedom from those 



ADDENDUM. ' 587 

unnatural stimulants by which a vicious appetite is created; 
in the purity which guards the system against corrupt hu- 
mors and diseased conditions ; in the refreshing coolness 
which maintains the digestive organs at a proper tempera- 
ture, and in a vigorous condition ; in their perfect adapta- 
tion to the nature of the digestive organs, so that they may 
be transformed into blood without doing violence to any 
part of the system; and finally, in that electrical vitality 
which renders them analogous to living beings, and the 
absence of which reduces them to a condition of physical 
death. These properties are united in their highest perfec- 
tion, only in uncooked fruits and grains, as they come from 
the hand of Nature; and the unperverted appetite demands 
nothing else." 

An excellent little work called the Natural Cure, has just 
been written by Dr. C. E. Page, in which he has a chapter 
on the " Natural Diet." In this chapter the doctor advo- 
cates the use of uncooked grains, fruits, and even vege- 
tables (provided they are eaten), and gives his reasons 
therefor. He also relates the experience of a number of 
individuals who have lived for a considerable time on un- 
cooked foods, and who have, as they believe, been greatly 
improved in their general health. Felix L. Oswald, M.D., 
a writer well known in recent publications, has also put 
himself on record, in the following words : " We can not doubt 
that the highest degree of health could only be attained 
by stiict conformity to Haller's rule, i. e., by subsisting ex- 
clusively on the pure and unchanged products of Nature." 

Quotations from other authorities might be given, show- 
ing, if not a decided preference for uncooked foods, at 
least a disposition to look into their merits; and as no harm, 
but always good, comes from thorough investigation, the au- 
thor of Health in the Household is not only willing to hear, 
but anxious to learn, all that there is to be known on the 
subject. If " better things " are yet in store, by all means 



588 ADDENDUM. 

let us have them ; and the way to find them, is to look for 
them. 

A young medical student with whom the writer is ac- 
quainted, found himself in dyspeptic conditions, and in 
rather poor health generally. He tried the raw grains and 
fruits, together with nuts, and immediately began to im- 
prove; at the end of a few months the dyspepsia was all 
gone, and his general health much better; and at the end 
of two years, he considered himself as " made over." How 
much of this improvement was due to the new diet (he 
gave it credit for a good deal), and how much to the hints 
he got out of Dr. Oswald's Physical Education, which 
he was then reading, it might be difficult to determine; but 
it is probable that he obtained good from both. 

Judging from the history of nearly all reforms, whether 
real, or so called, it may be reasonable to suppose that in 
this, as in the others, its advocates will, in the heat of en- 
thusiasm, make some mistakes ; though perhaps this is 
unavoidable. In the absence of a knowledge of the right 
way, one has to experiment, and then profit afterward by 
the mistakes committed. Already, questions, such as the 
following, are asked: 

1. Suppose we eat uncooked grains ; can we manage 
them whole, even if our teeth are sound ? And if so, would 
it not consume a great deal of time ? 

2. If the teeth are imperfect, must we not cut or crush 
the grains ; and if very imperfect or wanting altogether, 
would it not be better to soak the kernels, whole or divided, 
until they are partially softened ? 

3. If one makes a meal of grains and fruits, what per 
cent, of it should be fruits ? 

4. Should the two be eaten together (in alternate mouth- 
f uls), or should the one be eaten, and then the other ? 

5. Is it better to employ a great variety of either the 



ADDENDUM. 589 

fruits or the grains; and if so, how large a variety is it best 
to have at a given meal? 

6. If nuts form part of the repast, does it make any dif- 
ference at what meal they are eaten; whether at breakfast, 
dinner, or supper ? 

7. Is there danger of eating too many nuts, or of having 
them too often? 

8. Should the quality of the food differ, in hot and cold 
climates — or hot and cold weather ? 

9. If vegetables are eaten, how often should they appear 
on the table ; and should they be eaten at the same meal 
with fruits ? 

10. Would children, just beginning the use of grains, 
require to have them soaked or softened ? 

11. Would the grains, as wheat, be the better of being 
partially cleaned or dressed, before being eaten ? 

12. Should the character of the food be modified, to suit 
the habits of individuals; and if so, in what particulars? 

13. In living upon uncooked foods, how many meals 
would be necessary, in the day; and about how much time 
would be required at each, provided the individual had 
good sound teeth ? 

14. In changing from the cooked to the uncooked food, 
would it be best to make the change gradually, or at once ? 

The above are examples of questions that would require 
an intelligent answer ; though some of them apply to the 
cooked foods, as well as to the uncooked. Would it not be 
a good plan for the advocates of the Natural Diet to organ- 
ize into a society, and give themselves and others the benefit 
of their experience ? No doubt very much valuable infor- 
mation might be obtained in this way; and if the experi- 
menters did no more than to disprove certain popular 
fallacies, at present almost universally accepted, they would, 
to say the least, help to prepare the way for a more rational 



590 



ADDENDUM. 



system of diet — if, indeed, that can be called a system, 
which (as it now stands) contains so much that is not only 
fragmentary and worthless, but positively pernicious in its 
effects upon the human system, and utterly at variance with 
all the known laws of physiology and hygiene. 

In discussing the food question, we must take into ac- 
count the fact that the force of habit has very much to do 
with what the stomach is able to accomplish. For hundreds 
and even thousands of years, in all civilized countries at 
least, it has been the custom to cook the grains and other 
starchy foods before eating them. The modern stomach 
does not seem to be able to digest these articles perfectly 
in the raw state. But after the starch elements have been 
converted into glucose by cooking, this difficulty is removed, 
and the stomach does its work satisfactorily ; then the 
nutrient material is absorbed into the blood, and the tissues 
appropriate it. 

Nearly all of the grain preparations that are sold in our 
markets, require a great deal longer cooking than is gener- 
ally supposed ; not a few minutes, but hours are needed to 
make them thoroughly digestible, and also to develop their 
flavor. 

S. W. D. 



INDEX. 



BREAD— Leavened and Other. (Hygienic?) 



Page 

Biscuits, cream 140 

" mush 137 

" potato 135 

Bread, batter loaf 134 

u corn (excellent) 137 

" from risings 132 

" " " 133 

" Graham with potato 

" sponge 131 

" hasty corn 139 

u leavened Graham 

(general directions) . . . 123 

11 leavened Graham ...127 

" ..129 

« " ...130 



Page 

Bread, pumpkin 138 

" raisin 132 

" rye 134 

" " flour 134 

" stale 136 

Gems, corn (with eggs) 139 

" mush 137 

Leavened and other Bread .119 

Scone, currant 141 

" potato 142 

Shortcake, buckwheat 139 

Toast, dry 136 

Yeast, hop 121 

" " 122 

u self -working 123 



Rye, wheat and Indian 
a it a . it 



BREAD — Steamed. (Compromise.) 

Page 

Rye, wheat and Indian 265 

Wheaten and Indian bread. 260 
u u u u 261 

u u it tt 261 



Page 

..262 
..262 
..263 
. 264 



..264 



Steamed Bread. 



260 



BREAD — Unleavened. (Hygienic?) 

Page 

Gems, fruit 112 

" potato 113 

" wheaten 112 



Page 

Bannocks, oat meal Ill 

Bread, cocoa-nut 108 

" cold-water loaf 107 

" hot-water " 109 



Crackers, Graham 109 

" other ..110 

Crisps, oat meal 110 

" wheat meal 110 

Crumbs, hygienic rusk 113 

(591) 



Rolls, hard Graham 104 

" " " (more briefly) 106 

" hot-water 108 

" mush Ill 

Stems 107 

Unleavened Bread 101 



592 



INDEX. 



CAKE-MAKING. 



Cake, 



apple. . 

Graham bread 



Page 
..281 
..280 

cream 278 

" fruit 279 

" sponge 282 

<< " 282 

huckleberry 281 

layer ...283 

" 283 



( Compro7nise.) 

Page 

Cake-Making 275 

Crackers, fruit 287 

" {Graham), fruit... 286 

Rusk, Graham 284 

" " 284 

" mush 285 

Sally Lunn 287 

" " 287 

Snaps, oat meal 286 



CAKES— Plain Fruit. {Hygienic.) 

Page 

Shortcake, huckleberry. -.. .143 

" strawberry 142 



Page 

Cake, strawberry gem 144 

Fruit roll {Graham) 144 

Plain Fruit Cakes 142 



CANNING FRUITS, Etc. {Hygienic.) 



Page 

Apples 243 

Blackberries 245 

Canning Fruits, Etc 238 

Cherries, May 246 

" morello.'. 246 

Cranberries 246 

Currants • 244 

General directions 238 

Gooseberries 245 

Grapes 243 

Juice, blackberry 245 

" currant 244 

lt gooseberry..... 245 

" grape 243 



Page 
Juice, raspberry and currant. 245 

" strawberry 244 

Peaches 243 

Pears 243 

Plums 243 

R aspberries 244 

" and currants .. .245 

Sealing with wax 242 

Special directions.. 242 

Strawberries. 244 

" how best to can. 246 

To can vegetables 250 

Tomatoes, how to can 248 



CORN CAKE, MUFFINS, Etc. (Compromise.) 



Page 

Bread, corn custard 267 

u rice and corn 269 

Cake, bachelor's Johnny 265 

" corn 266 

" Kentucky corn 266 

" potato 269 

Cakes, rye drop 270 



Page 
Corn Cake, Muffins, Etc.. 265 

Gems, cream 268 

" " {with fruit) ... .268 

Muffins, Graham 267 

" " and corn.. 267 



tush. 



270 



potato and corn... '269 



INDEX. 



59; 



CORN PREPARATIONS. 
Page 

Bread, corn 115 

" huckleberry 118 

" rye and Indian 117 

" wheat and Indianll7 

" snow 119 

Cake, good breakfast 117 

" hoe 114 



(Hygienic.) 

Page 

Corn Preparations 113 

Dodger, corn 114 

" " 114 

Gems, " 115 

u rye and Indian 118 

Pone, corn 115 

" steamed corn 116 



CUSTARDS, BLANC-MANGES, Etc 
Page 
Blanc-mange, corn-starch.. .378 

" farina 379 

" " (witkfruit)881 

" Irish moss 377 

" manioca 377 

" raspberry 380 

" sago 378 

" strawberry 380 

" tapioca 378 

" variegated . .... .381 

Charlotte Russe 374 

" 374 

Cottage cheese 376 



(Compromise.) 

Page 

Custard, baked 370 

" boiled 371 

" 371 

" cold fruit 376 

u mountain (Junket). 375 

" sago 375 

" tapioca 375 

Custards, Blanc-Manges,Etc.368 

Island, floating 372 

Islands, " 372 

Rock-work 373 

Strawberry trifle 373 

Trifle 373 



DRINKS FOR THE SICK. 
Page 
.... 224 
....227 



(Hygienic.) 



Drinks for the Sick 

" raw fruit 

Juice, apple 226 

" " (dried) 226 

"' blackberry ...226 

black raspberry 226 

" cranberry 227 

" currant 224 

" gooseberry 225 

" grape 225 

" peach (dried) 226 

EGGS. (Compromise.) 
Page 
Eggs 540 



Juice, red raspberry. 
u strawberry . . . 

Lemonade, cold 

" hot 



Page 

.225 
.225 
-227 

.227 



Orangeade 227 

Tea, apple 228 

" cranberry 228 

Water, barley 229 

" oat 229 

cT tamarind 228 

" toast 228 



baked 541 

boiled 540 

poached 541 

scrambled 541 



Page 

Eggs, scrambled 542 

" soft boiled 541 

Omelet 542 

" 543 

" asparagus . . , 543 



594 



INDEX. 



FISH. (Compromise.) 



Page 

Brook trout 500 

Fish 497 

" {fresh), baked 499 

" " boiled 498 

" « broiled 500 

" {salt) 501 

Codfish {salt) and potato • ..505 
" " baked 503 



Page 

Codfish (salt), boiled 502 

broiled 503 

cakes 504 

scallop 504 

toast 504 

501 



Mackerel 

Oysters — How about 



505 



FOODS FOR INFANTS. (Hygienic.) 



Page 
Foods for Infants 232 



FOODS FOR THE SICK. 
Page 

Dry toast 231 

Foods for the Sick 229 

Gruel, corn meal 230 

" oat u 230 

" " " 230 



(Hygienic . ) 

Page 

Gruel, rice .231 

" wheat meal 230 

Rice mush - 231 

Soup, dried peach 232 

" potato 231 



FRUITS AND FRUIT 



Apples and quinces. 



Page 
.208 



baked 204 

" 204 

(pared) , baked 205 

(sweet), " 204 

dried 219 



roasted . 
steamed 
stewed. . 



207 
207 
205 
206 
207 
207 
209 
223 



u (szveet) , stewed 

" (unpared), stewed.. 

Apricots 

Bananas 

Blackberries 216 

Cherries, black morello 215 

" dried 221 

" for pies 215 

" May 215 

Crab-apple sauce 208 



JUICES. (Hygienic.) 

Page 

Cranberries 218 

Currants (red) 212 

" sweet 222 

Fruits and Fruit Juices 197 

Gooseberries 213 

u for pies 214 

Grapes 216 

Huckleberries 218 

Juice, blackberry 216 

" currant 212 

u gooseberry 214 

" grape 217 

" raspberry and currant. 213 

u strawberry 212 

Juices, fruit 211 

" mixed 218 

Lemons. 223 

Oranges 223 

Peaches, baked 209 

" and apricots {dried).220 



INDEX. 



595 



Peaches, stewed 
Pears, baked. . . . 

" dried 

" stewed . . . 
Plums 



Page 
.208 
.210 
• 220 
.209 
.210 



" dried 221 

Pomarius 224 

Prunes 221 



Page 

Prunes and plums 222 

Quinces 208 

Raisins 223 

Raspberries and currants. . . . 213 

Strawberries 211 

Table of proportions (for 
fruit) 202 



GRAINS — Steamed. (Hygienic.) 



Page 

Barley, pearl 147 

" rolled (or crushed) ... 147 

Grains, the 301 

Hominy 147 

" coarse 148 

" fine (or com grits). . . 148 

Rice (steamed or boiled) 149 

" and raisins 149 

" Japanese method 150 



Page 
Rice, Southern method . . . .149 

Samp 148 

Steamed Grains 145 

Table of proportions (for 

grains) 145 

Wheat, cracked 146 

" pearl. 147 

" rolled...... 146 



GRIDDLE-CAKES. (Compromise.) 



Cakes (griddle), buckwheat.. 271 

" " corn 274 

" " " bread.. 275 
" " crumb 273 

" " green corn .274 



Page 

Cakes (griddle), rice 275 

" " wheaten....273 

« " " ....273 

Griddle-Cakes 271 



JELLIES, JAMS AND 

Page 

Jam, currant 396 

" gooseberry 396 

u grape or plum 396 

' ' raspberry 396 

Jams 395 

" strawberry and black- 
berry 397 

Jellies, Jams and Syrups 390 

Jelly, apple 394 

" crab-apple 394 

" cranberry 394 

39 



SYRUPS. (Compromise.) 

Page 
Jelly, currant, blackberry, 

strawberry, etc 392 

" quince 394 

" raspberry and currant. 393 

Jellies, other fruit 394 

Making fruit jellies 391 

Syrup, lemon 397 

" strawberry 397 

Syrups, fruit 397 

" mixed 397 

" quince and other. . .397 



596 



INDEX. 



MEATS, Etc. 

Page 

Meats, Etc 449 

{Beef.) 

Baked beef-steak 455 

«■ " .. 456 

Beef omelet. 467 

Beef's heart.. 469 

" tongue with tomatoes. 468 

Boiled beef's tongue 468 

Broiled beef-steak . . 453 

Corned beef 463 

Potted " 466 

Pressed " 467 

Roast " 458 

Stewed beef -steak 457 

Tough round steak 454 

{Beef or Mutton.) 

A brown stew • • • • 465 

Boiled beef or mutton 462 



( Compromise.) 

Page 

Boiled meats ..460 

u meat with vegetables. 463 
Cold sliced beef or mutton. .465 
Stewed beef or mutton {pot 
roast) 464 

{Mutton and Lamb.) 

Lamb, moulded 466 

" roast 459 

" stewed ...466 

Mutton chops, baked 457 

" " " 457 

" " broiled 454 

" " stewed 455 

" roast 459 

u stuffed shoulder of .459 
("The Porker.") 
The porker 470 



MEAT PIES, Etc. (Compromise.) 



Page 

Meat Pies, Etc 506 

Paste, cream and potato 508 

" •' " batter 507 

" light cream 507 

Pie, beef and potato 508 

" cold meat 511 

" kettle 516 

u Lancashire 515 

f e meat, with batter crust. 512 
" " " potato " .510 

'■< mutton and " " .514 

" " or lamb 510 

Scallop, beef or mutton 512 

" meat, with eggs ... 513 
u mutton and potato. 513 
11 " "■ tomato. 514 



Page 

Steak roll {or pudding) 517 

{Hashes and Toasts.) 

Hash and macaroni 537 

" baked 534 

" beef and tomato 536 

" u or mutton 532 

" rolls 535 

" with cold potatoes 533 

" " onions 537 

Hashes and Toasts 530 

Minced lamb 535 

u turkey 535 

Toast, asparagus {with eggs). 63$ 

11 eggs and 539 

" hash 538 

" milk 538 



MEAT STEWS, Etc. (Compromise.) 



Boiled dinner. . . 

Browned flour, gravies, etc 
Meat Stews, etc 



Page 

.526 
• 520 
.518 



Page 

Stew, beef and tomato . . 524 

" breakfast 521 

" " with toast... 527 



INDEX. 



597 



Page 
Stew, chicken or squirrel.. .530 

" cold meat 527 

" " " and tomato. 528 

Stew, economic 529 

" « 530 

" Irish 523 



Page 

Stew, mutton 522 

" " and tomato... 525 

" " with carrots... 523 

" okra 525 

" Scotch 524 

Stews, directions for making. 519 



Page 

Cooking utensils 254 

Miscellany 250 

Packing grapes 251 



MISCELLANY. (Hygienic) 

Page 
Pure water 253 

Storing for winter use 250 

To keep fruits and vegetables. 251 



MOULDED FARINACEA. 

Page 

Moulded corn-starch 383 

" farina 382 

" Farinacea 382 

" Graham 383 

" rice. 384 



{Compromise?) 

Page 

Moulded wheat 383 

Rice and raisins 384 

" snow 385 

" snow-balls 385 



MUSHES. 
Page 

Mush, corn meal 152 

" Graham 153 

" farina 153 



{Hygienic.') 

Page 

Mush, oat meal 152 

Mushes 151 

" 302 



Apple cream. , 

" ice 

u float.., 
" puffs... 
" snow... 

Apples, baked. 



OTHER DISHES 
Page 

389 

389 

389 

390 

389 

386 



{Compromise.) 

Page 

Apples, rice 386 

" stewed 387 

Other Dishes 386 

Pears, baked 388 

" stewed 388 



PASTRIES. 



Cobbler, apple 164 

" berry 166 

" cherry 166 

" huckleberry 167 

" peach 165 

" " 166 



{Hygienic.) 

Page 

Dumplings, apple 167 

" berry 168 

" cherry 169 

Paste, cream 155 

11 " and potato.-... 157 
l( " batter 156 



598 



INDEX. 



Page 

Paste, crumb 157 

" light cream 155 

" oatmeal 157 

Pastries 154 

Pie, apple 158 

" " (dried) 163 

" " (green) 159 

" berry 160 

" cherry 160 

u cranberry 161 



Page 

Pie, currant 161 

" grape 161 

" peach 159 

" " (dried) 163 

" plum 162 

u raspberry and currant. .161 

" rhubarb 162 

Pies, Graham 157 

Rolly-poly, fruit 169 



PIES, Etc. (Compromise.) 



Page 

Paste, cream ... 288 

Pie, apple custard 291 

" cocoa-nut custard 292 

" corn-starch " 293 

" custard 290 

■■" Irish potato 294 

" " 295 

u lemon 293 

" (with meringue) . • 294 

u peach meringue 289 

" pumpkin 296 

" " (with less eggs). 29G 

" " (without eggs).. 297 

u rice custard 291 

" squash 298 



Pie, sweet potato 

Pie-crust glaze — 

Pies, Etc 

" fruit 

Tart, cranberry 

u cream raspberry. 

et currant 

" damson 

l< gooseberry 300 

u green apple 298 

" lemon * 298 

u raspberry and currant. 299 

" rhubarb 301 

" strawberry 300 



Page 
-295 

.288 
.288 
.289 
.300 
.299 
.299 
.300 



PLAIN DESSERTS. (Compromise.) 

Page 

Pudding, bread and fruit 
dessert 355 

Pudding, brown Betty 354 

" child's fruit 354 

" dried fruit.... ...353 

" Graham (with fruit).35S 

" minute 358 

11 rice and apple 357 



Page 

Dumplings 359 

" suet 356 

Frumenty 357 

Mush, blackberry 359 

" farina 357 

" " 358 

Plain Desserts 353 

Pudding, boiled suet 356 



POULTRY AND GAME. 

Page 



(Poultry.) 

Chicken, broiled 481 

" pie 484 



(Compromise .) 

Page 

Chicken, pot-pie 485 

" pressed 487 

" scallop 484 



INDEX. 



599 



Page 

Chicken, stewed 483 

Chickens, roast 480 

" smothered 482 

'* stewed whole 483 

Poultry 472 

Turkey, boned 479 

" cold sliced 477 

" pie 477 

" roast 474 

u scallop 478 

stew 479 

" wild 476 

( Wild Birds and Other Game.) 

Pie. game 496 

" partridge or quail 493 

'• pigeon 490 

PRACTICAL HINTS. 
Page | 

Addendum 580 

Bills of fare 570 

Cellar, the 565 

Dining-room and kitchen. . .544 



Page 

Pie, squirrel 495 

Pigeons, wild 489 

Prairie-fowls 492 

Quail on toast 492 

Quails, grouse, etc 490 

" " " broiled.. 491 

" " " roasted.. 491 

" u " stewed ..491 

Small birds ...492 

Squirrels and rabbits 494 

" " " broiled.494 

" u « stewed. 494 

Venison 470 

" pasty 471 

Wild Birds and Other Game.488 



Help, the 554 

Hints on marketing 560 

Housekeeping 551 

PRESERVING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. (Hygienic.) 



(Compromise.) 

Page 

Huckster system, the 557 

Ice-house, the 567 

Lunch for picnics 578 

Practical Hints 544 

Table etiquette 547 

Traveling lunches 579 



Page 

Drying fruits 234 

'• vegetables 235 

Evaporating fruit juices .. 236 

PUDDINGS -Other. 

Page 

Other Puddings 337 

(Baked.) 
Pudding, apple (without eggs). 337 

" " batter 340 

" •• Graham ....337 

" **' tapioca 349 

" 350 

" baked batter 340 

" berry and bread... 338 

corn custard 342 

" cracked wheat 351 

" damson plum 339 



Page 
Preserving Fruits and Vege- 
tables 234 

Refrigeration 238 

(Compromise.) 

Page 

Pudding, granula 351 

" huckleberry and 

bread 338 

" Irish potato 352 

u m an i o c a (with fru it) . 348 

" puff 341 

" rice and apple ...348 
" " " berry ....347 

" ". " raisin. ...347 

" sago " apple.... 350 

" sweet potato 352 

" tapioca (with raisins)M9 



600 



INDEX. 



Page 
(Steamed.) 
Pudding, children's rolly- 

poly 340 

" huckleberry Indian346 

" steamed apple 339 

" " Indian... 344 



Page 
Pudding, steamed Indian... 345 
" strawberry Indian. 345 
{Boiled.) 

Pudding, boiled batter 342 

" " Indian 343 



PUDDING SAUCES, CREAMS, Etc. 
Page 

Cream, currant 365 

lemon 366 

mock 360 

orange 366 

pine-apple 367 

raspberry 365 

« and currant.366 

snow 364 

strawberry 364 

sweet 360 



( Comprom ise . ) Page 

Cream, whipped 363 

Creams, blackberry and other366 
u quince " " 367 

Custard, soft 361 

Dressing of fruit 363 

Pudding Sauces, Creams, 

Etc 360 

Sauce, fruit 362 

" lemon 361 

" mixed 363 



Pudding 



PUDDINGS-Selection of. 
Page 
{Baked.) 

Pudding, apple batter 314 

u (grated) ... .306 

" (sweet) 307 

" tapioca ....331 

baked batter 319 

" blackberry. 316 
" fruit roll... 318 

" Indian 324 

" " ....324 

" " ....325 

bird's-nest 305 

bread.. 310 

" (with meringue)3ll 

" and fruit 305 

cocoa-nut 312 

farina .335 

..335 

. 336 

Indian (withfruit)32& 

lemon 309 

u meringue. 309 
u tapioca 

(custard) 332 

lemon tapioca .... 333 



green corn 



(Compromise .) 

Page 

I, manioca 329 

of cold rice 329 

peach batter 313 

rhubarb Charlotte. 307 

rice 328 

" 328 

sago 334 

" (with fruit) ..335 

tapioca. ... 330 

" (with fruit). ,333 

Puddings, Queen of 311 

(Steamed.) 

Pudding, berry 315 

cherry roll 318 

Christmas plum.. 322 

Graham (withfruit)32% 

u u a 323 

huckleberry. ...... 315 

steamed batter 320 

" " ....320 
" " ....321 
" Indian.... 326 
" " ...327 
" rolly-poly.316 
Selection of Puddings 305 



INDEX. 



601 



RIPE FRUITS FOR DESSERTS 
Page 

Apples 399 

Cherries 405 

Currants 403 

Fresh figs 406 

Frosted fruit 406 

Gooseberries 404 

Grapes 405 



Huckleberries 405 



{Compromise. ~) 

Page 

Oranges and bananas 402 

Peaches 400 

Pears and plums 401 

Raspberries and currants — 404 
" blackberries and 

dewberries 403 

Ripe Fruits for Desserts 398 



Strawberries. 



402 



SOUPS. ( Comprom ise .) 



Page 

Broth, barley 439 

Soup, "all the garden" 449 

barley and tomato 440 

" broth 439 

bean 444 

" and tomato 445 

corn " « ....441 

French vegetable 448 

okra and tomato ..... 441 
pea (without meat) 443 



Page 

Soup, potato 437 

" and tomato 439 

split pea 442 

tomato 438 

'' and pea 443 

turnip 445 

vegetable 446 

" 447 

" 447 

Soups 436 



The Compromise 



THE COMPROMISE. 

Page 

259 



THE HYGIENIC DIETARY. 



The Hygienic Dietary. 



Page 
.100 



THE REASON WHY. 



Page 

Butter and eggs 55 

Constituents of food 11 

Dietetic rules 93 

Drinking at meals 72 

Food and physical develop- 
ment 15 

Food combinations, etc.... 84 

u intellect and morals.. 79 

Fruits, the 33 

Hints on cooking 95 

Meat as an article of diet .... 42 

Milk 53 



Page 
Pepper and other condiments 71 

Pork-eating 48 

Salt 61 

Sugar 57 

Tables (from Pavy) 11 



Tea, coffee, etc 

The Reason Why.. 
Two meals or three. 
Vegetables, the. 



Wheat and other cereals .... 



75 
11 
92 
38 
20 



Wheaten vs. white flour 27 



602 



INDEX. 



VEGETABLES 

Page 

Asparagus 184 

" toast 185 

Beans, baked 189 

" " 189 

" (dried), boiled 189 

" (fresh), garden 188 

" Lima 188 

" (dried), steamed 190 

<* " stewed 190 

" string 188 

Beets, baked.. 187 

" boiled.. 187 

Cabbage, stewed 186 

Cantaloupes 196 

Carrots 184 

Cauliflower 186 

Celery 195 

Chestnuts, boiled 195 

" roasted 195 

Corn and tomatoes 192 

u (green), boiled 190 

" " roasted 193 

" " stewed 191 

" canned.. 191 

" green 190 

" (dried), stewed 193 

Cucumbers 195 

Lettuce 194 

Melons 196 

Onions 194 

Parsnips 184 

Peas, dried 193 

" green 193 

u split 194 

Potato, the 172 

Potatoes, baked 176 



(Hygienic.) 

Page 

Potatoes (peeled), baked .... 176 

" " boiled.... 173 

11 (mashed), browned. 175 

" (sliced), « .175 

" in jackets 172 

11 mashed 174 

u model-cooked 174 

" roasted 176 

" steamed . . 174 

" stewed 175 

" (sweet), baked ...178 

" " browned. 177 

" dried ....178 

" sweet 177 

Pumpkin 183 

Rhubarb 196 

Spinach, etc 186 

Squashes (winter), baked .... 181 
" . " stewed... 182 

" summer 182 

Succotash 192 

Tomato toast 179 

Tomatoes, baked 179 

11 " ....180 

u canned 181 

" etc ■ 178 

" scalloped 181 

" scrambled 180 

" sliced..... 178 

" stewed 179 

" " 179 

11 with corn 180 

Turnips 183 

Vegetables 169 

Watermelons 196 



VEGETABLES. (Compromise.) 
Page 

Asparagus 421 

Beans, baked 427 

" (dried), boiled 426 

" Lima and butter 425 



Page 

Beans, shelled 424 

" stewed 426 

" string 423 

" wax 424 



INDEX. 



603 



Beets, boiled 429 

Cabbage 420 

" and tomatoes 420 

Carrots, boiled 428 

u stewed 429 

Cauliflower 421 

Celery 434 

Corn and tomatoes 419 

" (sweet) , baked 419 

" (green), boiled 418 

" " cut from the cob.419 

" " stewed 418 

Cucumbers 435 

Egg-plant 431 

Lettuce 435 

Melons 436 

Okras 423 

Onions, old c .435 

" young 434 

Parsnips.* 427 

Peas, canned 423 

" green 422 

Potato, browned 412 

" creamed 411 

" hashed 413 

" puff 412 

11 snow 412 

Potatoes 408 

" and tomatoes. 417 

" baked 410 



Page 
Potatoes (peeled), baked. ... .410 

" boiled 408 

" in jackets 410 

" mashed 409 

u new 411 

" stewed 411 

" sweet 413 

" " baked 414 

" " boiled 413 

" " roasted 414 

Pumpkin sauce 433 

Rhubarb 434 

Salsify, or vegetable oyster. .430 

Spinach 430 

Squashes, summer 432 

« winter 432 

" " baked 433 

" " stewed 433 

Succotash 425 

Tomato toast 415 

Tomatoes 414 

" baked 416 

" broiled 417 

u scalloped 416 

'* scrambled 415 

" sliced 414 

" stewed 415 

" stuffed 417 

Turnips 428 

Vegetables 407 




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